Walter (Walt) Whitman was born May 31, 1819 in West Hills, New York. Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and journalist and is among the most influential poets in the American canon. He is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described as obscene for its overt sensuality. When he died on March 26, 18992 at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.