O Captain! My Captain!

Walt Whitman 1819 (West Hills) – 1892 (Camden)




   O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
   The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
   The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
   While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
       But O heart! heart! heart!
         O the bleeding drops of red,
           Where on the deck my Captain lies,
             Fallen cold and dead.

   O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
   Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills;      10
   For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;
   For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
       Here Captain! dear father!
         This arm beneath your head;
           It is some dream that on the deck,
             You've fallen cold and dead.

   My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
   My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
   The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
   From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;      20
       Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
         But I, with mournful tread,
           Walk the deck my Captain lies,
             Fallen cold and dead.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

1:02 min read
2,288

Quick analysis:

Scheme aabbxcdC edbbxcxc ffaaecdC
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,230
Words 203
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8

Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. more…

All Walt Whitman poems | Walt Whitman Books

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1 Comment
  • jace_w
    that was the best poem ever!!!!!!!!
    LikeReply1 year ago

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