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Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass is here in full — 98 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Leaves of Grass
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
One’s-Self I Sing
One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.
Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.
Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.
As I Ponder’d in Silence
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Leaves of Grass

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass is here in full — 98 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
One’s-Self I Sing
Line 2
One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.
Line 3
Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.
Line 4
Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.
Line 5
As I Ponder’d in Silence

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Democratic adjective US /ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/

characterized by or advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality

From this reading “One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.”

freest adjective US /ˈfriːɪst/

superlative of “free” — not limited or hampered; not under compulsion or restraint

From this reading “Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.”

Male noun US /meɪl/

an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes

From this reading “Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.”

Muse noun US /mjuːz/

in ancient Greek mythology any of 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; protector of an art or science

From this reading “Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.”

physiology noun US /ˌfɪziˈɑːlədʒi/

the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms

From this reading “Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.”

pulse noun US /pʌls/

(electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)

From this reading “Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.”

toe noun US /toʊ/

one of the digits of the foot

From this reading “Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.”

worthier adjective US /ˈwɜːrðiər/

comparative of “worthy” — having worth or merit or value; being honorable or admirable

From this reading “Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.”

All words in this reading · 56

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

actionnounUS /ˈækʃən/

something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As I Ponder’d in Silence

brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

CheerfuladjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪrfəl/

being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

completeverbUS /kəmˈpliːt/

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

DemocraticadjectiveUS /ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/

characterized by or advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

En-Masse

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

equallyadverbUS /ˈiːkwəli/

to the same degree (often followed by “as”)

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

FemaleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːmeɪl/

being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

FormnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

form'd

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

freestadjectiveUS /ˈfriːɪst/

superlative of “free” — not limited or hampered; not under compulsion or restraint

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading One’s-Self I Sing

immenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmens/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

lawsnounUS /lɔːz/

the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

MalenounUS /meɪl/

an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

MannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

ModernadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdərn/

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

MusenounUS /mjuːz/

in ancient Greek mythology any of 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; protector of an art or science

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

One's-Self

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One’s-Self I Sing

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

physiognomynoun

the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

physiologynounUS /ˌfɪziˈɑːlədʒi/

the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

Ponder'd

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I Ponder’d in Silence

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

pulsenounUS /pʌls/

(electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

separateverbUS /ˈsepəreɪt/

act as a barrier between; stand between

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

SilencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading As I Ponder’d in Silence

simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

SingverbUS /sɪŋ/

deliver by singing

From this reading One’s-Self I Sing

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

toenounUS /toʊ/

one of the digits of the foot

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing.

utterverbUS /ˈʌtər/

articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

worthieradjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrðiər/

comparative of “worthy” — having worth or merit or value; being honorable or admirable

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/

Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.

From this reading Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

Chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman holds 98 sentences, grouped into 20 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass contain?

Chapter 1 holds 98 sentences of Leaves of Grass, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 98 sentences, grouped into 20 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Leaves of Grass?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Leaves of Grass

Common questions about reading Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Leaves of Grass?

Yes. All 4156 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1322 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Leaves of Grass is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1322, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Leaves of Grass take to read?

About 346 minutes of reading across 832 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Leaves of Grass section by section

How to work through Leaves of Grass section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of Leaves of Grass to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Leaves of Grass

Words and structures a reader meets early in Leaves of Grass, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

S-self
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leaves of Grass; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Simple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leaves of Grass; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Separate
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leaves of Grass; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Person
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leaves of Grass; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.