As The Time Draws Nigh
As
the
time
draws
nigh,
glooming,
a
cloud,
A
dread
beyond,
of
I
know
not
what,
darkens
me.
I
shall
go
forth,
I
shall
traverse
The
States
awhile—but
I
cannot
tell
whither
or
how
long;
Perhaps
soon,
some
day
or
night
while
I
am
singing,
my
voice
will
suddenly
cease.
O
book,
O
chants!
must
all
then
amount
to
but
this?
Must
we
barely
arrive
at
this
beginning
of
us?…
And
yet
it
is
enough,
O
soul!
O
soul!
we
have
positively
appear'd—that
is
enough.
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.