Sections 1-4 Summary

Inscriptions" is the first section in "Leaves of Grass,", a collection of Walt Whitman's lifelong work. In this section, there are a number of poems with varying themes, although Whitman seems to focus on his ongoing relationship with the sea. The poet has a good rapport with the water and admires its mystery and beauty. The reader can surmise by the poetry that the author spent a great deal of time on the shores of bodies of water. Whitman sees large ships as being vessels that deserve reverence for their sheer size and capabilities in the waters.

Although Whitman was born more than 40 years after the signing of a Declaration of Independence, the poet often associates himself with the birth of the United States. Whitman shows a great deal of patriotism and frequently celebrates the country's democracy and what it means...