Fancy might now her silken pinions tryTo rise from earth, and sweep th' expanse on high:From Tithon's bed now might Aurora rise,Her cheeks all glowing with celestial dies,While a pure stream of light o'erflows the skies.The monarch of the day I might behold,And all the mountains tipt with radiant gold,
This gives a great visual to the emotions that were being felt
Now here, now there, the roving Fancy flies,
This line was a bit confusing to me.
Thy various works, imperial queen, we see,
Imperial queen is a sign that the queen is getting the upmost respect
'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land
Mercy brought these people from Africa to America.
RING the bells, nor ring them slowly; Toll them not, -- the day is holy! Golden-flooded noon is poured In grand libation to the Lord.
Annie Adams seems to have a strong opening in all of her work.
Under the flowers my soldier lies! Yet come, thou chilling pall of snow, Lest he should hear who sleeps below How, yet in bonds, the captive cries!
These lines carry a lot of power that can be felt by readers
THE fire of freedom burns, Her flame shall reach the heaven; Heap up the sacred urns, And life for life be given!
This a great opening stanza. This gives readers a positive note to start on.
Fear clouds thy brow, And seems to hunt thee through the wood.
This was a bit confusing to me.
Deeper than my own life.
This is a great ending to the intro. Keeping readers engaged
Forgot the past and proved them men So noble in forgiving.
Indicating that race should never matter because it won't in Heaven.
The forests flee before their stroke, Their hammers ring their forges smoke,
Implying purity when things are not touched.
When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee,
Saying that they are in a losing battle against slavery and that the oppression made many suffer.
Sympathy
A very short and subtle title to the poem.
And ever the man he rides me hard, And never a night stays he; For I feel his curse as a haunted bough, On the trunk of a haunted tree.
The poem really fits the title. At first, It may be a confusing title, however after reading, it is clear.
I feel the rope against my bark, And the weight of him in my grain, I feel in the throe of his final woe The touch of my own last pain.
Indicating the lynching of the man.
And what is the spur that keeps the pace, What is the galling goad
A confusing play on words. However raises questions
Haunted
Gives the poem a haunted feel from the start
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise.
This really hits the emotions of readers by painting a clear picture of the experiences they endured.
We Wear the Mask
This is a very strong and powerful title to the poem
Souls unto me are as stars in a night, I whiten my black men—I blacken my white! What’s the hue of a hide to a man in his might? Hail! great, gritty, grimy hands— Sweet Christ, pity toiling lands! I am the Smoke King I am black.
"souls unto me are as stars in a night" is a huge line in this stanza and honestly in the overall poem. This whole set of lines really shows the excellence of the slaves and overall a positive outlook on such a terrible situation.
Inspiration of iron times Wedding the toil of toiling climes, Shedding the blood of bloodless crimes— Lurid lowering ’mid the blue, Torrid towering toward the true, I am the Smoke King, I am black.
This grouping of lines really makes me think back to what slavery really entails. Also hints at the gruesome, long days they spent in the fields.
Wraith of the ripple of trading rills; Up I’m curling from the sod, I am whirling home to God; I am the Smoke King I am black.
This really is a great series of lines that is an easy read and really rolls off of the tongue. It hints at the presence of slavery and talks about the overcoming of such.
And she pulled out a small .44 And root-e-toot-toot three times she shot Right through that hardwood door
It sounds like Frankie is not the one to play with. She pulled a gun out and just fired like it was nothing.
"Well, I don't want to cause you no trouble And I don't want to tell you no lies But I seen your man about an hour ago With that high-browed Nellie Bly He was your man, I think he's doing you wrong"
Interesting little story that is told here. Explains a conversation between two people, one informing the other that her man is cheating.
No more driver's lash for meMany thousands gone
This means that she is finally free. She is also talking about the thousands of people that died due to slavery.
me
A very strong, confident statement to beginning. This also raises some questions, however. I feel that there may a deeper meaning or a alternative motive to the line.
Like a fawn from the arrow, startled and wild, A woman swept by us, bearing a child; In her eye was the night of a settled despair, And her brow was o’ershaded with anguish and care.
This shows a mother with very mixed emotions. One part of her is very happy that she just had a child, while the other part of her is sad because she knows the life the child has coming.
She is a mother, and her heart Is breaking in despair.
This honestly sheds light on issues that may not be brought up consistently about slavery. A mother is heartbroken because her kids were sold into slavey.
Heard you that shriek? It rose So wildly on the air, It seem’d as if a burden’d heart Was breaking in despair.
This is a great opening stanza. It really packs a hard punch by asking the master if they can hear the cries of the slaves.
"I'll take the crown from off my head And tread it 'neath my feet, Before their rude and careless gaze My shrinking eyes shall meet.
A great showing of courageousness by a woman at the time. Also great imagery.
And left the palace of the King, Proud of her spotless name -- A woman who could bend to grief, But would not bow to shame.
This is a great stanza that shows women getting some credit for their bravery. This is a celebration of women.
es, blame me for my downward course, But oh! remember well, Within your homes you press the hand That led me down to hell.
This too shows how women suffered during this time period and ultimately fell under the hand of the men around her.
Do you blame me that I loved him? If when standing all alone I cried for bread a careless world Pressed to my lips a stone.
This opening stanza Is very powerful. It shows the truth about how women were judged heavily during this time.