1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley Quotes

Phillis Wheatley, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly was the first published African-American female poet. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent.

The publication of her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral brought her fame both in England and the American colonies. Figures such as George Washington praised her work. During Wheatley's visit to England with her master's son, African-American poet Jupiter Hammon praised her work in his own poem. Wheatley was emancipated after the death of her master, John Wheatley. She married soon afterward. Two of her children died as infants. After her husband was imprisoned for debt in 1784, Wheatley fell into poverty and died of illness, quickly followed by the death of her surviving infant son.

✵ 1753 – 5. December 1784
Phillis Wheatley photo
Phillis Wheatley: 15 quotes5 likes

Famous Phillis Wheatley Quotes

“As when Eolus heaven's fair face deforms, Enwrapp'd in tempest and a night of storms; Astonish'd ocean feels the wild uproar, The refluent surges beat the sounding shore; Or thick as leaves in Autumn's golden reign”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“But, Madam, let your grief be laid aside,
And let the fountain of your tears be dry'd,
In vain they flow to wet the dusty plain,
Your sighs are wafted to the skies in vain,
Your pains they witness, but they can no more,
While Death reigns tyrant o'er this mortal shore.”

Phillis Wheatley

"To a Gentleman and Lady on the Death of the Lady's Brother and Sister, and a Child of the Name of Avis, aged one Year." st. 2, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773)

“Thee, first in peace and honor - we demand The grace and glory of thy martial band. Fam'd for thy valor, for thy virtues more, Hear every tongue thy guardian aid implore! One century scarce perform'd its destined round”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“Such, and so many, moves the warrior's train. In bright array they seek the work of war, Where high unfurl'd the ensign waves in air. Shall I to Washington their praise recite? Enough thou know'st them in the fields of fight.”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“But how is Mneme dreaded by the race,
Who scorn her warnings and despise her grace?
By her unveil'd each horrid crime appears,
Her awful hand a cup of wormwood bears.
Days, years mispent, O what a hell of woe!
Hers the worst tortures that our souls can know.”

Phillis Wheatley

"On Recollection" st. 2 lines 7-12, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773)

“Creation smiles in various beauty gay
While day to night, and night succeeds day”

Phillis Wheatley

Works of Providence from Poems on Various Subjects kindle ebook ASIN B0083ZJ7SU

Phillis Wheatley Quotes about freedom

“Celestial choir! enthron'd in realms of light, Columbia's scenes of glorious toils I write. While freedom's cause her anxious breast alarms, She flashes dreadful in refulgent arms.”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“When Gallic powers Columbia's fury found; And so may you, whoever dares disgrace The land of freedom's heaven-defended race! Fix'd are the eyes of nations on the scales, For in their hopes Columbia's arm prevails.”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“No more, America, in mournful strain
Of wrongs, and grievance unredress'd complain,
No longer shalt thou dread the iron chain,
Which wanton Tyranny with lawless hand
Had made, and with it meant t' enslave the land.
Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song,
Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung,
Whence flow these wishes for the common good,
By feeling hearts alone best understood,
I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate
Was snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy seat:
What pangs excruciating must molest,
What sorrows labour in my parent's breast?
Steel'd was that soul and by no misery mov'd
That from a father seiz'd his babe belov'd:
Such, such my case. And can I then but pray
Others may never feel tyrannic sway?”

Phillis Wheatley

"To The Right Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth" st. 2-3, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773)

Phillis Wheatley Quotes

“See mother earth her offspring's fate bemoan, And nations gaze at scenes before unknown! See the bright beams of heaven's revolving light Involved in sorrows and the veil of night! The goddess comes, she moves divinely fair”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“When first thy pencil did these beaties give
And breathing figures learnt from thee to live”

Phillis Wheatley

To A young African painter from Poems on Various Subjects kindle ebook ASIN B0083ZJ7SU

“Olive and laurel binds her golden hair: Wherever shines this native of the skies, Unnumber'd charms and recent graces rise. Muse! bow propitious while my pen relates How pour her armies through a thousand gates”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“Thy ev'ry action let the goddess guide. A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! be thine.”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“Anon Britannia droops the pensive head, While round increase the rising hills of dead. Ah! cruel blindness to Columbia's state! Lament thy thirst of boundless power too late. Proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side”

Phillis Wheatley

1770s, To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

“Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.”

Phillis Wheatley

"On Being Brought from Africa to America" lines 5-8, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773)

Similar authors

Matthias Claudius photo
Matthias Claudius1
German poet None
Samuel Butler (poet) photo
Samuel Butler (poet)81
poet and satirist None
Robert Burns photo
Robert Burns114
Scottish poet and lyricist None
Novalis photo
Novalis102
German poet and writer None
John Donne photo
John Donne115
English poet None
Alexander Pope photo
Alexander Pope158
eighteenth century English poet None
Johann Gottfried Herder photo
Johann Gottfried Herder18
German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic None
Jean De La Fontaine photo
Jean De La Fontaine47
French poet, fabulist and writer. None
Friedrich Schiller photo
Friedrich Schiller111
German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright None
John Milton photo
John Milton190
English epic poet None