What are some examples of metaphor in the poem "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman?

There are almost countless examples of metaphor in Walt Whitman's long poem, "Song of Myself." Indeed, even if you were to narrow your options down to a single image - the central leaf of grass, for instance - you'd still find that Whitman employs numerous metaphors to describe his subject matter. One of my personal favorites, however, occurs in section 31 when Whitman uses metaphor to conceive of a leaf of grass as a manifestation...

There are almost countless examples of metaphor in Walt Whitman's long poem, "Song of Myself." Indeed, even if you were to narrow your options down to a single image - the central leaf of grass, for instance - you'd still find that Whitman employs numerous metaphors to describe his subject matter. One of my personal favorites, however, occurs in section 31 when Whitman uses metaphor to conceive of a leaf of grass as a manifestation of the infinite cosmos. 

In the first line of section 31, Whitman says "I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars" (663). With this metaphor, Whitman likens a tiny, insignificant blade of grass to the whole expanse of the heavens. In doing so, Whitman asserts that even the smallest of things, even something as insignificant as grass, possesses infinite complexity and beauty. Additionally, because the leaf of grass is "the journey-work of the stars," it's also connected to a vast network of infinite importance that transcends its seeming insignificance. This metaphor is central to "Song of Myself," as it communicates Whitman's belief that everything is connected, everything is important, and everything, even a tiny leaf of grass, possesses a vast and complex beauty all its own.