Which characteristic makes "song of myself" a free verse poem?

the correct answer is " it follows no set meter or rhyme"

The poem doesn’t have any consistent rhythmic, so it makes "Song of Myself" a free verse poem. Whitman also uses such a simple phrase as “who I am or what I mean” because he wants to communicate directly with readers - that's why he uses the direct pronoun "I" and also communicates with readers using the "you" diction.

EXPLANATION  

The poem "Song of Myself" is written in the style of Whitman's free poems. In section 39, Whitman glorifies the words "as simple as grass". It is a standard stanza that supports a simple style, which would attract a lot of readers.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,

But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,

And filter and fibre your blood.

The quote above is part 52 of this poem is the best example to explain the free verse of the poem. This part states how the poet entered about nature which is part of him. The poet merges with the grass leaves, which are the closest part to the ground and most come in contact with other natural creatures. The poem ends by developing the Transcendentalist theme which also applies it to the poet's personal experience.

LEARN MORE

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:

• Which statement best describes how these lines reflect the theme of the poem?  

• Why does Whitman use such a simple phrase as “who I am or what I mean”?

KEYWORD: Song of Myself, Walt Whitman, Poem, Leaves of Grass  

Subject: English

Class: 10-12

Subchapter: Literature

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