She is the author of many poetry collections, including Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects (1854), and The Sparrow’s Fall and Other Poems (1894). Her story “The Two Offers” was the first short story published by an African American. She also published several novels and essay collections.
The motivation for her activism was her faith in Christ. She took on the powerful, white status quo that justified slavery through the twisting of scripture. While speaking at rallies, her language was heavily flavoured by references to the Bible, particularly to the direct teaching and actions of Jesus.
The following poem is from her 1846 book Forest Leaves (also known as Autumn Leaves).
That Blessed Hope
Oh touch it not that hope so blest
------Which cheers the fainting heart,
------And points it to the coming rest
------Where sorrow has no part.
Tear from heart each worldly prop,
------Unbind each earthly string;
------But to this blest and glorious hope,
------Oh let my spirit cling.
It cheer’d amid the days of old
------Each holy patriarch’s breast,
------It was an anchor to their souls,
------Upon it let me rest.
When wand’ring in the dens and caves,
------In goat and sheep skins drest,
------Apeel’d and scatter’d people learn’d
------To know this hope was blest.
Help me to love this blessed hope;
------My heart’s a fragile thing;
------Will you not nerve and bear it up
------Around this hope to cling.
Help amid this world of strife
------To long for Christ to reign,
------That when he brings the crown of life
------I may that crown obtain.
Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Cascade) ― a book of poems written from the point-of-view of angels. His books are available through Wipf & Stock.
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