walt whitman wrote the poem o captain my captain.
walt whitman wrote the poem o captain my captain.
who wrote the poem o captain my captain?
walt whitman
o captain! my captain!









































"o captain! my captain!" is an extended metaphor poem written in 1865 by walt whitman, about the death of american president abraham lincoln. the poem was first published in the pamphlet "sequel to drum-taps" which assembled 18 poems regarding the american civil war, including another lincoln elegy, "when lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd". it was included in whitman's comprehensive collection "leaves of grass" beginning with its fourth edition published in 1867. the poem emphasizes grief and sorrow.









































section::::analysis.
o captain! my captain!
"o captain! my captain!" became one of whitman's most famous poems, one that he would read at the end of his famous lecture about the lincoln assassination. whitman became so identified with the poem that late in life he remarked, "damn my captain...i'm almost sorry i ever wrote the poem."









































section::::in popular culture.









































a musical version of the poem appears on carolyn hester's 1965 live album "at town hall".
o captain! my captain!