<i>Leaves of Grass</i> is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. Though it was first published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing, rewriting, and expanding <i>Leaves of Grass</i> until his death in 1892. Six or nine individual editions of <i>Leaves of Grass</i> were produced, depending on how they are distinguished. This resulted in vastly different editions over four decades. The first edition was a small book of twelve poems, and the last was a compilation of over 400.<br />The collection of loosely connected poems represents the celebration of his philosophy of life and humanity and praises nature and the individual human&#39;s role in it. Rather than focusing on religious or spiritual matters, <i>Leaves of Grass</i> focuses primarily on the body and the material world. Its poems do not rhyme or follow standard rules for meter and line length.