"The words of my book nothing, the drift of it everything"

This quote by Walt Whitman speaks to the power of the overall message of a publication, instead of the private words. He is suggesting that words of a book are not as crucial as the general meaning and also function of guide. He is stressing the value of the general message and just how it can have a better influence than the private words. He is also suggesting that the words of a publication are not as crucial as the means they are used to communicate the message. Words are just a device to share the total message, as well as the message is what is most important. The quote is a tip that the total message of a book is more important than the specific words used to convey it. It is a pointer to focus on the total message as well as purpose of a publication, rather than the individual words.