O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is one of the most recognizable of all American poems. It was inspired by the assassination of United States President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 and published the same year in the poet’s continually expanding anthology entitled Leaves of Grass.

A highly symbolic poem, the ship represents the United States and the storms met along the “fearful trip” are without a doubt the American Civil War and the slavery issue. Over 140 years later, the work still draws moving parallels even today.

Music composed by Chris Antblad