Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric” annotated & illustrated

Walt Whitman’s poem “I Sing the Body Electric” scandalized the literary world of the 19th century for its uncensored praise of the human body. Now it’s recognized as a masterpiece, not only of literature but of bodily freedom and human rights advocacy. Poet Carol Rumens called it, “This best known and most enthralling of Whitman’s poems … a praise-song to physicality that raises questions about the soul.” 

The interactive publication of “I Sing the Body Electric” is illustrated with artworks from Whitman’s time as well as interpretive images. Annotations unravel (at a click to “open”) terms obscure to modern readers, while offering interpretations toward a deep and joyful understanding of the poem’s themes and images. 

Note: This book is best enjoyed on an iPad — it is not reflowable and the print is pretty small on a phone! It was originally created using Apple software, hence the limited format. We’re working on getting it into epub format, which will be accessible to more devices.