Poetry of the Future

"To-day, something else is wanted. For us the greatest poet is he who in his works most stimulates the readers imagination and reflection, who excites him the most himself to poetize. The greatest poet is not he who has done the best; it is he who suggests the most; he, not all of whose meaning is at first obvious, and who leaves you much to desire, to explain, to study, much to complete in your turn." Whitman beautifully quotes Sainte-Beuve in his "Poetry of the Future"(1881) published in the North American Review. A very interesting, although slightly long, read that explains much of what Whitman felt poetry and the poet was.