Walt Whitman wrote many poems that contained very strong political and economical aspects, which gave an insight into his own beliefs and values. Among some of the various other themes he wrote about, Whitman frequently used the Civil War as a foundation for his works. Another theme that was presented, which in some way is incorporated with the previous theme, was that of social unity and the importance of each individual. His ideas about the Civil war come about in many of his poems. In "Beat! Beat! Drums!" he tells how war disturbs the lives of everyone, with no remorse....
of the South was silenced due to their break from the Union. This threw off the whole nation as a whole, and America would not be complete again until the song of the South was heard again.

All these poems express many of Whitman"s own thoughts towards what was going on at that period of time. His love and respect for Lincoln, his abolitionist beliefs, and his sense of the need for national unity. All these things provide for a look into that period of time in America, and give us a glimpse into the mind of a genius.