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Olive and laurel binds her golden hair: Wherever shines this native of the skies, Unnumber'd charms and recent graces rise. Muse! bow propitious while my pen relates How pour her armies through a thousand gates

— Phillis Wheatley To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

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More quotes by Phillis Wheatley

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.

But, Madam, let your grief be laid aside,
And let the fountain of your tears be dry'd,
In vain they flow to wet the dusty plain,
Your sighs are wafted to the skies in vain,
Your pains they witness, but they can no more,
While Death reigns tyrant o'er this mortal shore.

Creation smiles in various beauty gay
While day to night, and night succeeds day

Thy ev'ry action let the goddess guide. A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! be thine.

To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

Celestial choir! enthron'd in realms of light, Columbia's scenes of glorious toils I write. While freedom's cause her anxious breast alarms, She flashes dreadful in refulgent arms.

To His Excellency, George Washington (1775)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Phillis Wheatley (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.