Leaves of Grass?

The first thing that caught my attention to in this piece is the title, "Leaves of Grass". After reading the first three paragraphs I'm thinking that the title connects to the concept of America being built up and represented by its people, not its government... people being the grass and their represention or view by others the leaves. In these first paragraphs, Whitman gives the reader and extremely positive and almost overdone picture of America. Americans he says are rough, rugged, hard workers, sympathetic, loyal, and most of all hold their freedom as a precious right, not a gift. Whitman to me seems terribly honest unlike the majority of the other people we have read, who seem to use sarcasim as a second language, so to me, and also Emerson, Whitman appears to be the first true American Poet.