Phillis Wheatley
first African American to have a book publishedslave who was taught many subjects by her mastercontroversial author
On Being Brought from Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley
poemsummary: I'm in a crappy situation and I didn't ask to be here and y'all hate blacks but we're people too and we can still be saved by the God that y'all think hates us.

rhetoric: argument, sarcasm, litotes, contrasting definitions, allusions, pathos

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

you're a really good artist and you bring your pictures to life which is pretty intense. Also, imagination is really good for the mind and never stop finding muses. Doesn't it suck that us artists are stuck in these dark times of racism? Well when they're gone then people are gonna love us. Enjoy your fame and glory and know that Heaven will appreciate us.rhetoric: allusions, imagery, personificationish, metonymy, parallelismish

To the University of Cambridge, in New-England by Phillis Wheatley
poemsummary: I'm not like y'all, I ain't no Harvard student. You're "sons of science" but the most important thing to know is that Jesus died for you AND me.

Avoid sin, guys. It's bad. I came from this really dark ship and God has saved me. Also, I'm black and telling you that sin is bad...

get the hint.rhetoric: metaphors, persuasion, implication, forms of litotes

To His Excellency General Washington by Phillis Wheatley
letters/poemsummary (of her letter): I get that I'm black but hear me out. I get how important your job is and I've heard that you're chill so I assume you'll be chill with me. Read my poem.

summary (of his letter): Although you wrote this months ago, I didn't get it until December and sorry for taking so long for responding in February. I'm flattered and you're v good at the whole writing thing. I wanted to publish your poem but I didn't want people thinking I was vain so...

. if you're ever in town, hmu.summary (of her poem): I hope you're protected because you're a good man, Charlie Brown. You're super laudable and I believe people like you are gonna be who breaks slavery.

Them English colonies seem like they could resemble slavery right? Like a trial of sorts... Can you like...

help free us like you're freeing the colonists? Thx bro. Everyone's counting on you. No pressure. You can do it.rhetoric: allusions, metaphors, persuasion, pressure, emphasis, rhyme

Letter to Reverend Samson Occom by Phillis Wheatley
lettersummary: Dude, thanks for your letter and for being smart about blacks.

.. we people too. Not only do we want freedom, but we want religious liberties as well.

We're like the Israelites and the Egyptians... like we just want our lives pls.

rhetoric: allusions, parallelism between colonists and England, powerful, respectful, persuasion

Homage to Phillis Wheatley by Kevin Young
poemsummary: Sometimes I get why you would want to travel. But, I know that you were kidnapped and bought into slavery in this Christian world which you don't get. You never thought yourself below or above anyone. Washington wanted to meet you, though, and that's pretty sick. Now that you're dead though, you're finally, truly free. rhetoric: alliteration, metonymy,
The Difficult Miracle of Black Poetry in America Or Something like a Sonnet for Phillis Wheatley by June Jordan
essaysummary: Phillis Wheatley was a black woman.

This was Wheatley's life, this is what made her amazing. She was black. Life creds too all the people who made Phillis who she was. She was black.

It was important that she was black and literate because she was black and could resemble all blacks like she was. rhetoric: repetition, timeline, conversational tone