Journal: Phillis Wheatley

Christine Sloss
Dr. Scott Lankford
English 48A
Journal: Phillis Wheatley
November 10, 2011

Author Quote:
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:

Internet Quote:
“Phillis Wheatley was the first published African-American poet and first African-American women whose writings helped create a genre of African American literature.”

Brief summary of what the author is saying in your own words: Phillis is preying for her freedom to the lord, explaining the reason for where her wishes stem from. She was kidnapped from home in Africa, where she lived happily with her family. Talking with the lord she believes children like her, who have experienced what she has, share the common loneliness and wishes only to end the cruelty bestowed on her.


My thoughts: I feel Phyllis is an remarkable person, a prodigy I think I read. Grant it, she did have a better opportunity than most, living with the family she did, investing in her education. However, it was entirely her imagination and creativity to develop the skill of writing poetry. And she had an astonishing amount of accomplishments, being the first African American to publish a book and first African American woman to earn a living from her writing.
“Twas mercy brought me from my pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,”
“Their color is a diabolic dye.”