Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in Huntington, New York. Whitman was one of the most influential American poets of all time, often called the father of free verse. He also is notable for his use of transcendental themes. Whitman’s most famous work is Leaves of Grass, a large collection of poetry that is notable for its overt sensuality. The “Calamus” poems are the most well-known and are acknowledged for their overt homoerotic themes. Whitman had a complex relationship with his sexuality, with many critics and commentators unsure if he was gay or bisexual; although it is evident that he experienced same-sex attraction as inferred by his poetry. Much of Whitman’s work centered on the liberation of the body, of sexuality, from cultural mores and societal understanding. The homoerotic nature of his poetry was not lost on other gay poets and writers of the era, figures as John Addington Symonds, Edward Carpenter, and Oscar Wilde all made Whitman’s acquaintance throughout the years. Although Whitman would be asked about the exact nature of sexuality he refused to elaborate on the subject. The only accounts of Whitman’s sexual activities are second hand, such as a 1924 conversation in which Carpenter claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Whitman in his youth, which can be read about in Carpenter’s own memoirs. It is through these various letters, journal entries, and Whitman’s poems themselves that we see his very complex relationship with sexuality. Whitman was also known to have an intimate companion, Peter Doyle, whom he met in 1866. Doyle claimed that they were physical with each other, but the extent of this is unknown. Whitman’s poems served as inspiration for many queer poets, both in his time and now. Whitman died on March 26, 1892, in Camden, New Jersey. For more on Walt Whitman, read “Timeline: Walt Whitman and Same-Sex Sex Intimacy, 1848-2021” and “Aspects of Queer Existence in 19th-Century America,” by Rich Wilson.