Leaves of Grass (1860) — Leaves of Grass, 1860 edition
Walt Whitman
Whitman sees beauty in what remains when the surface distractions recede. For him, night and ocean depths unveil truths hidden in plain daylight. In the context of 1860s America, a rapidly industrializing nation, his words push back against a cultural focus on progress and surface achievements. He advocates for a deeper, more introspective awareness—a vision not typically embraced in his era.