His work was controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described as obscene for its overt sensuality
त्यांचे कार्य त्या काळात वादग्रस्त मानले जायचे, विशेषत: लिव्हस ऑफ ग्रास या काव्य संग्रहातील त्यांचे काव्य फारच वादग्रस्त मानले होते.