As If A Phantom Caress'd Me
As
if
a
phantom
caress'd
me,
I
thought
I
was
not
alone,
walking
here
by
the
shore;
But
the
one
I
thought
was
with
me,
as
now
I
walk
by
the
shore—the
one
I
loved,
that
caress'd
me,
As
I
lean
and
look
through
the
glimmering
light—that
one
has
utterly
disappear'd,
And
those
appear
that
are
hateful
to
me,
and
mock
me.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, (born May 31, 1819, West Hills, Long Island, New York, U.S.—died March 26, 1892, Camden, New Jersey), American poet, journalist, and essayist whose verse collection Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, is a landmark in the history of American literature. Walt Whitman’s poetry was innovative for its verse style and for the way it challenged traditional narratives. He championed the individual soul over social conventions, presenting himself as a rough and free spirit. His poetry has continued to resonate with new generations of Americans, and he is considered a symbol of American democracy.