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How does the form of Whitman's poetry in Leaves of Grass reflect his political views, such as federalism?

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Whitman's poetic form in Leaves of Grass reflects his political views by emphasizing independence, unity, and diversity. His use of long, un-enjambed lines suggests a rejection of traditional constraints, aligning with his admiration for liberty and innovation in Jeffersonian democracy. Catalogues in his poems highlight inclusivity and American diversity. The use of first-person pronouns underscores individualism, while addressing the second person fosters a sense of shared experience and agency, mirroring federalism's balance of unity and individuality.

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The poetic forms in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass express the focus on independence, interactions between unity and diversity, and the many contradictory elements of the poet’s political views. Long and un-enjambed lines, catalogues, and ways of using pronouns can be observed in “Song of Myself.”

The use of long and un-enjambed lines can show that he did not want to conform to traditional rules. This attitude may reflect his emphasis on liberty and innovation, which he admired about Jeffersonian democracy. Enjambment refers to the continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line. Whitman often combines enjambed and un-enjambed lines in a single poem, as in “Song of Myself.”

I am satisfied—I see, dance, laugh, sing;
As the hugging and loving bed-fellow sleeps at my side through the night, and withdraws at the peep of the day with stealthy tread,
Leaving me baskets cover’d with white towels...

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swelling the house with their plenty ...

The catalogues he employs often convey his inclusive attitude toward the highly varied origins and occupations of Americans, which enrich the country.

I am enamour’d of growing out-doors,
Of men that live among cattle or taste of the ocean or woods,
Of the builders and steerers of ships and the wielders of axes and mauls, and the drivers of horses ...

Whitman often features a first-person speaker; his extensive reliance on “I” as a pronoun further conveys his commitment to individualism, including individual rights. However, he also incorporates second person, sometimes equally. “Song of Myself” exemplifies the poet’s combination of first-person and second-person perspectives. The idea that “I celebrate myself” does not exclude others, as the speaker immediately begins to address “you” as intimately connected to that self: