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Posted by natasha Anderson on January 11, 19102 at 11:08:39:
In Reply to: Phillis Wheatly posted by Jessica Ford on October 04, 19101 at 13:34:48:
:Phillis Wheatly was was the first Black african poet. She made many poems,such as ocean, or the one she made for the president at that time, Here is one of her poems:Ocean
by Phillis Wheatley
'Now muse divine, thy heav'nly aid impart,
The feast of Genius, and the play of Art.
From high Parnus' radiant top repair,
Celestial Nine! propitious to my pray'r.
In vain my Eyes explore the wat'ry reign,
By you unaided with the flowing strain.
When first old Chaos of tyrannic soul
Wav'd his dread Sceptre o'er the boundless whole,
Confusion reign'd till the divine Command
On floating azure fix'd the Solid Land,
Till first he call'd the latent seeds of light,
And gave dominion o'er eternal Night.
From deepest glooms he rais'd this ample Ball,
And round its walls he bade the surges roll;
With instant haste the new made seas complyd,
And the globe rolls impervious to the Tide;
Yet when the mighty Sire of Ocean frownd
"His awful trident shook the solid Ground."
The King of Tempest thunders o'er the plain,
And scorns the azure monarch of the main,
He sweeps thy surface, makes thy billows rore,
And furious, lash the loud resounding shore.
His pinion'd race his dread commands obey,
Syb's, Eurus, Boreas, drive the foaming sea!
See the whole stormy progeny descend!
And waves on waves devolving without End,
But cease Eolus, all thy winds restrain,
And let us view the wonders of the main
Where the proud Courser paws the blue abode,
Impetuous bounds, and mocks the driver's rod.
There, too, the Heifer fair as that which bore
Divine Europa to the Cretan shore.
With guileless mein thy gentle Creature strays
Quaffs the pure stream, and crops ambrosial Gr
Again with recent wonder I survey
The finny sov'reign bask in hideous play
(So fancy sees) he makes a tempest rise
And intercept the azure vaulted skies
Such is his sport: - but if his anger glow
What kindling vengeance boils the deep below!
Twas but e'er now an Eagle young and gay
Pursu'd his page thro' the aierial way
He aim'd his piece, would C-f's hand do more
Yes, him he brought to pluto's dreary shore
Slow breathed his last, the painful minutes move
With lingring pace his rashness to reprove;
Perhaps his father's Just commands he bore
To fix dominion on some distant shore
Ah! me unblest he cries Oh! Had I staid
Or swift my Father's mandate had obey
But ah! too late. - Old Ocean heard his cries
He stroakes his hoary tresses and replies
What mean these plaints so near our wat'ry throne,
And what the Cause of this distressful moan!
Confess Iscarius, let thy words be true
Nor let me find a faithless Bird in you
His voice struck terror thro' the whole domain
Aw'd by his frowns the royal youth began,
Saw you not Sire, a tall and Gallant ship
Which proudly scims the surface of the deep
With pompous form from Boston's port she came
She flies, and London her resounding name
O'er the rough surge the dauntless Chief prevails
For partial Aura fills his swelling sails
His fatal musket shortens thus my day
And thus the victor takes my life away
Faint with his wound Iscarius said no more
His Spirit sought Oblivion's sable shore.
This Neptune saw, and with a hollow groan
Resum'd the azure honours of his Throne
-Phillis Wheatly
The only reason why I know so mcuh is because I
had to do an paper on her 3 years in a row.
I hope that was enough info.