Walter Walt Whitman (/ˈhwɪtmən/ ; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist.A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works.hitman wrote in the preface to the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it.. He believed there was a vital, symbiotic relationship between the poet and society.