Poetry pulses through the veins of American heritage, shaping our nation's conscience and collective voice. In the 19th century, Walt Whitman recognized that both poetry and democracy derive their ...

Masha Gessen writes about the vision of democracy expressed by the poet Amanda Gorman in her poem “The Hill We Climb,” which she delivered at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration, on January ...

Amanda Gorman, a Harvard graduate, recited a poem at President Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration, making her the youngest inaugural poet.

When Walt Whitman began conceiving his great volume of poetry, “Leaves of Grass,” in the 1850s, American democracy was in serious danger over the issue of slavery. As we celebrate National ...

As the poem unfolds, Whitman navigates this and other obstacles. You’ve got to kick your obsession with heaven and God, as traditionally conceived, he says.

The Washington Monthly is an independent voice, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows—liberal and conservative. And we need your support. The poem that inspired the song, America ...

Keith Boykin discusses Donald Trump's threat to democracy, drawing parallels to Nazi Germany. Learn about the dangers of silence.

The poem that inspired the song, America the Beautiful, is 130 years old today, and despite the threats to democracy, it resonates more than ever. At this moment of deep political division, bold ideas ...