"On July 4, 1855, the first edition of Leaves of Grass entered the world, changing forever the course of American poetry. The slim volume, featuring twelve unnamed and ecstatic free-verse poems shocked, enraged, and delighted critics for its celebration of physical pleasures and the human body. Walt Whitman hoped to speak from a communal vice, and did not attach his name to the collection, leaving instead a small engraving of himself opposite the title page. Throughout his life, Whitman continuously revised and republished Leaves of Grass, but the 1855 original, reproduced here, showcases his dramatic entrance into the world of poetry."--Book jacket.