Question

Read this excerpt from Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing” from Leaves of Grass.

The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning,
or at noon intermission or at sundown
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young
fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Why does Whitman most likely choose this structure for his poem?
The lyrical structure reveals the creative sound devices.
The epic structure reveals a tale of human folly.
The free verse structure presents a conversational style.
The traditional structure relies on a familiar rhythm pattern.

Answer 1

The free verse structure presents a conversational style.

Whitman uses free verse—loose line lengths, lack of regular rhyme or meter, and cataloging—to create a natural, spoken, democratic voice that sounds like everyday people conversing and singing.