O Captain! My Captain!

In “O Captain! My Captain!” Walt Whitman expresses joy over the end of the Civil War and sorrow over the assassination of President Lincoln. Both of these events are crucially important in American history. Think of another important event in American history about which you would like to write. Before you begin writing, research this event on reliable Internet sites or in the library so that you can better recall important dates and facts. Then write a poem in which you try to capture how Americans felt about this event immediately after it happened.