The Yankee Swap

Appealing and stirring
As much of it remains,
Doesn’t Whitman’s Preface

In 1855
Seem a little bit nuts,
A little bit unhinged,

One of those pure products
Of America, like
Any manifesto

Written by a loner
With no political
Or avant-garde movement

To advocate, only
His wild-eyed, confident
Self? It’s the Yankee swap—

You get the creative
Freedom at the expense
Of the revolution.