"Oh Captain, My Captain"

                                 by

                Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

Walt Whitman wrote this poem after the assassination of abraham lincoln. He writes this poem from the perspective of someone talking to Lincoln. In the first stanza, he mentions a captain, representing Abraham because ha led the country in a time of war, a ship, representing the United States, and then he says his captain has fallen cold and dead. He is referencing the assassination of lincoln that had recently happened.

As the poem progresses, Walt Whitman says,"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells." He wants Lincoln to see and hear the effects of victory in the north, although he has passed away so quickly after the battle had been won.

Abraham Lincoln was not only a great president, he was an outstanding captain.   He led our country through the civil war; we followed him through thick and thin. Walt Whitman wrote this poem to honor our 16th president and commend his victories and struggles. The first line of the poem states, "O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done." You can tell from that line that the writer, Walt Whitman, is writing the poem to Abraham Lincoln. He is telling him that he has won the battle. The first stanza states that everyone is celebrating although Lincoln, the captain, is dead. 

The poem concludes solemnly by saying that his captain will never see or hear the victory celebration, but he mourns the loss of the great man, Abraham Lincoln.

It was truly a tragic day when Lincoln was shot. Many believe he was the greatest president ever. People from all over the country mourn that day when his life was ended. As Walt Whitman said in the poem, his captain has "fallen cold and dead." He used his life for the greater good of the people and was not worried that he may not see how he affected the world, but he knew he was making a difference.