Peace by Albery Allson Whitman,Albery Allson Whitman was a 19th century African American poet who, despite being born into slavery, carved out a career for himself as a poet and orator. He served as a pastor throughout the south and mid-western regions of the United States. His poetry was universally well received and he became known as the “Poet Laureate of the Negro Race”. He is included in the anthology African-American Poetry of the Nineteenth Century where his efforts are described as “attempts at full-blown Romantic poetry”. Some even compared his verse to that written by well-known American and British authors who wrote in the Romantic tradition. One of Whitman’s poems is called Ye Bards of England which extols the virtues of the great literary figures from English history and begins:
Peace by Albery Allson Whitman
As the raindrop on a flower
When the bow’s behind a shower,
As the breeze that fans the forehead
Of the sunset, when his cheeks red
Nestle on his mountain pillow,
Or a sea without a billow;
So is Peace’s sweet libations,
To the bosom of the Nations.
While the Shepherd’s lone were tending
Flocks by night on Judah’s plain;
Angels bright above them bending,
Trumpeted their sweet refrain:
“Glory be to God in Heaven,
Peace on earth, good will to men,
To the world a Savior’s given,
Lo! he comes in Bethlehem.
Then a door in Heaven opened,
And a milk-white spirit flew
From the golden portals earthward —
And the Nation’s journeying thro’,
She touched the Conqu’ror’s sword, that thrust
Thro’ thousand hearts red honors wore;
The glitt’ring terror fell before
His eyes and crumbled into dust.
She breathed upon the warrior’s wreath,
And while applauses filled his ears,
And earth her tribute paid of tears,
His glory withered in her breath.
She stood behind the tyrant’s throne;
His sceptre vanished from his hand;
And lo! he saw on sea and land,
His gloomy power was gone.
She fanned the lab’rer’s care-worn brow,
And sunshine falling from her wing
Into his heart, forced him to sing
While leaning on his plow.
Then by his cot she turned her flight,
And blithe health to the doorway ran,
Contentment’s sweetest songs began,
And all within was light.
