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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
HOWARD AT ATLANTA, by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Right in the track where sherman Last Line: A joy and blessing! Subject(s): Atlanta, Georgia; Emancipation Movement & Proclamation; Howard, Oliver Otis (1830-1909); Antislavery Movement - United States | |||
RIGHT in the track where Sherman Ploughed his red furrow, Out of the narrow cabin, Up from the cellar's burrow, Gathered the little black people, With freedom newly dowered, Where, beside their Northern teacher, Stood the soldier, Howard. He listened and heard the children Of the poor and long-enslaved Reading the words of Jesus, Singing the songs of David. Behold! -- the dumb lips speaking, The blind eyes seeing! Bones of the Prophet's vision Warmed into being! Transformed he saw them passing Their new life's portal! Almost it seemed the mortal Put on the immortal. No more with the beasts of burden, No more with stone and clod, But crowned with glory and honor In the image of God! There was the human chattel Its manhood taking; There, in each dark, bronze statue, A soul was waking! The man of many battles, With tears his eyelids pressing, Stretched over those dusky foreheads His one-armed blessing. And he said: "Who hears can never Fear for or doubt you; What shall I tell the children Up North about you?" Then ran round a whisper, a murmur, Some answer devising; And a little boy stood up: "General, Tell 'em we're rising!" O black boy of Atlanta! But half was spoken: The slave's chain and the master's Alike are broken. The one curse of the races Held both in tether: They are rising, -- all are rising, The black and white together! O brave men and fair women! Ill comes of hate and scorning: Shall the dark faces only Be turned to morning? -- Make Time your sole avenger, All-healing, all-redressing; Meet Fate half-way, and make it A joy and blessing! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GARRISON by AMOS BRONSON ALCOTT WENDELL PHILLIPS by AMOS BRONSON ALCOTT THE DEATH OF SLAVERY by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT BOSTON HYMN; READ IN MUSIC HALL, JANUARY 1, 1863 by RALPH WALDO EMERSON FIFTY YEARS (1863-1913) by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL HENRY WARD BEECHER by CHARLES HENRY PHELPS JOHN BROWN OF OSAWATOMIE [OCTOBER 16, 1859] by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN AMERICA by JAMES MONROE WHITFIELD AMY WENTWORTH; FOR WILLIAM BRADFORD by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER |
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