Production

Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Read by: Elizabeth Klett
Book Coordinator: Elizabeth Klett
Meta Coordinator: Elizabeth Klett
Proof Listener: Betty M

Artwork

Cover: Phillis Wheatley, from the frontispiece of “Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley”, 1834
Inset: Portrait of Phyllis Wheatley, and title page of “Phillis Wheatley, Poems on Various Subjects”, London, 1773
Inset: Phillis Wheatley, 1893

Audio

Track Title Length

1 1 - Preface/To the Reader 0:04

2 2 - Poems 1-10 0:20

3 3 - Poems 11-14 0:25

4 4 - Poems 15-22 0:17

5 5 - Poems 23-33 0:34

6 6 - Poems 34-38 0:10

Poems by Title

PREFACE.

TO THE PUBLIC.

ON VIRTUE.

TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, IN NEW-ENGLAND.

TO THE KING’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 1768.

ON BEING BROUGHT FROM AFRICA TO AMERICA.

ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. DR. SEWELL, 1769.

ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. MR. GEORGE WHITEFIELD. 1770.

ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG LADY OF FIVE YEARS OF AGE.

ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG GENTLEMAN.

TO A LADY ON THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND.

GOLIATH OF GATH.

THOUGHTS ON THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE.

TO A LADY ON THE DEATH OF THREE RELATIONS.

TO A CLERGYMAN ON THE DEATH OF HIS LADY.

AN HYMN TO THE MORNING

AN HYMN TO THE EVENING.

ISAIAH LXIII. 1-8.

ON RECOLLECTION.

ON IMAGINATION.

A FUNERAL POEM ON THE DEATH OF C. E. AN INFANT OF TWELVE MONTHS.

TO CAPTAIN H———D, OF THE 65TH REGIMENT.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM, EARL OF DARTMOUTH

ODE TO NEPTUNE

TO A LADY ON HER COMING TO NORTH-AMERICA WITH HER SON, FOR THE RECOVERY OF HER HEALTH.

TO A LADY ON HER REMARKABLE PRESERVATION IN AN HURRICANE IN NORTH-CAROLINA.

TO A LADY AND HER CHILDREN, ON THE DEATH OF HER SON AND THEIR BROTHER.

TO A GENTLEMAN AND LADY ON THE DEATH OF THE LADY’S BROTHER AND SISTER, AND A CHILD OF THE NAME OF AVIS, AGED ONE YEAR.

ON THE DEATH OF DR. SAMUEL MARSHALL. 1771.

TO A GENTLEMAN ON HIS VOYAGE TO GREAT-BRITAIN FOR THE RECOVERY OF HIS HEALTH.

TO THE REV. DR. THOMAS AMORY, ON READING HIS SERMONS ON DAILY DEVOTION, IN WHICH THAT DUTY IS RECOMMENDED AND ASSISTED.

ON THE DEATH OF J. C. AN INFANT.

AN HYMN TO HUMANITY. TO S. P. G. ESQ.

TO THE HONOURABLE T. H. ESQ; ON THE DEATH OF HIS DAUGHTER.

NIOBE IN DISTRESS FOR HER CHILDREN SLAIN BY APOLLO, FROM OVID’S METAMORPHOSES, BOOK VI. AND FROM A VIEW OF THE PAINTING OF MR. RICHARD WILSON.

TO S. M. A YOUNG AFRICAN PAINTER, ON SEEING HIS WORKS.

TO HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR, ON THE DEATH OF HIS LADY. MARCH 24, 1773.

A FAREWEL TO AMERICA. TO MRS. S. W.

A REBUS, BY I. B.

AN ANSWER TO THE REBUS, BY THE AUTHOR OF THESE POEMS.

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773) by Phillis Wheatley is a collection of poems that explores themes of religion, morality, freedom, and human equality. It was the first book of poetry published by an African American woman and one of the earliest by an African American author overall.

The poems are heavily influenced by Christian beliefs and classical literary traditions. Wheatley frequently reflects on God, salvation, divine grace, and the afterlife, often expressing gratitude for spiritual redemption and emphasizing moral virtue. Many poems praise religious figures, ministers, and prominent public leaders of her time, blending personal devotion with public tribute.

At the same time, the collection subtly addresses the injustice of slavery and the shared humanity of all people. In poems such as “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” Wheatley suggests that spiritual equality transcends racial differences, quietly challenging the prejudices of 18th-century society while still working within its accepted religious language.

Stylistically, the poems use formal structure, rhyme, and references to Greek and Roman mythology, showing Wheatley’s classical education and literary skill. Overall, the book presents a blend of piety, intellectual sophistication, and understated social commentary, making it both a religious work and an important early voice in American and African American literature.

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Item Info
EAN - DVD case	0602581788805
EAN - CD jacket	0602581788812
Media	MP3 CD
Package	By format: DVD case, CD jacket, CD security sleeve, zip file
Author	Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753–1784)
Year	1773
Recording
Read by	Elizabeth Klett
Length	1 hour and 52 minutes
Type of Reading	Solo