Walter "Walt" Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and ‎journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, ‎incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the ‎American canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was very controversial in its time, ‎particularly his poetry collection “Leaves of Grass”, which was described as obscene for its overt ‎sexuality.‎

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman