Do you think Whitman is a poet of revolutionary spirit A poet of revolutionary spirit is one who inspires change through words Walt Whitman was a poet of bold and new ideas His Song of Myself broke all old poetic rules He brought new themes language and form to poetry He celebrated freedom equality and the common man New Themes and Ideas Whitman was the first poet to sing of democracy and equality He believed that all people are equal He says For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you This shows his faith in human brotherhood His poetry praises freedom and the dignity of every person Such ideas were new and revolutionary in his time New Style and Form Whitman rejected old verse forms He used free verse without rhyme or meter His lines are long rhythmic and natural He says I sound my barbaric yawp