To S. M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works by Phillis Wheatley

View this email on a browser Forward to a friend February 7, 2016   To S. M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works   Phillis Wheatley

To show the lab’ring bosom’s deep intent, And thought in living characters to paint, When first thy pencil did those beauties give, And breathing figures learnt from thee to live, How did those prospects give my soul delight, A new creation rushing on my sight? Still, wond’rous youth! each noble path pursue; On deathless glories fix thine ardent view: Still may the painter’s and the poet’s fire, To aid thy pencil and thy verse conspire! And may the charms of each seraphic theme Conduct thy footsteps to immortal fame! High to the blissful wonders of the skies Elate thy soul, and raise thy wishful eyes. Thrice happy, when exalted to survey That splendid city, crown’d with endless day, Whose twice six gates on radiant hinges ring: Celestial Salem blooms in endless spring.    Calm and serene thy moments glide along, And may the muse inspire each future song! Still, with the sweets of contemplation bless’d, May peace with balmy wings your soul invest! But when these shades of time are chas’d away, And darkness ends in everlasting day, On what seraphic pinions shall we move, And view the landscapes in the realms above? There shall thy tongue in heav’nly murmurs flow, And there my muse with heav’nly transport glow; No more to tell of Damon’s tender sighs, Or rising radiance of Aurora’s eyes; For nobler themes demand a nobler strain, And purer language on th’ ethereal plain. Cease, gentle Muse! the solemn gloom of night Now seals the fair creation from my sight.            This poem is in the public domain. About This Poem   “To S. M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works” was published in Wheatley’s book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (A. Bell, Bookfeller, 1773).   Phillis Wheatley was born on May 8, 1753, in West Africa. She was the first black poet in America to publish a book. Her books of poetry include Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (A. Bell, Bookfeller, 1773). She died on December 5, 1784.   Poetry by Wheatley   Complete Writings (Penguin Classics, 2001) "Ode to a Dressmaker's Dummy" by Donald Justice "Essay on Man, Epistle II" by Alexander Pope "They Flee from Me" by Thomas Wyatt Poem-a-Day   Launched during National Poetry Month in 2006, Poem-a-Day features new and previously unpublished poems by contemporary poets on weekdays and classic poems on weekends. Thanks for being a part of the Academy of American Poets community. To learn about other programs, including National Poetry Month, Poem in Your Pocket Day, the annual Poets Forum, and more, visit Poets.org.   You are receiving this e-mail because you elected to subscribe to our mailing list. If you would like to unsubscribe, please click here.   © Academy of American Poets 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038