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2017 Reprint of 1855 First Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Leaves of Grass was highly controversial during its time for its explicit sexual imagery, and Whitman was subject to derision by many contemporary critics. Over time, the collection has infiltrated popular culture and been recognized as one of the central works of American poetry. Though the first edition was published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and re-writing it, revising it multiple times until his death. This resulted in vastly different editions over four decadesthe first a small book of twelve poems and the last a compilation of over 400. This facsimile reproduces the typography and page layout of the original edition of 1855, and is in comparable size. It is hoped that the spirit of the poetry is better communicated in the type and format in which the poet originally expressed his craft.