Requirement
The poem Requirement is a critique of the institution of slavery and the moral obligation to end it. It argues that the Founding Fathers' failure to address slavery in the Constitution was a grave mistake that has led to the country's downfall. The speaker demands that the nation acknowledge its original sin and take immediate action to rectify it, lest it face divine retribution.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1826 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Inspirational Poetry · 128 words
First lines
We live by Faith; but Faith is not the slave Of text and legend. Reason's voice and God's, Nature's and Duty's, never are at odds. What asks our Father of His children, save Justice and mercy and humility, A reasonable service of good deeds, Pure living, tenderness to human needs, Reverence and trust, and prayer for light to see The Master's footprints in our daily ways? No knotted scourge nor sacrificial knife, But the calm beauty of an ordered life Whose very breathing is unworded praise! -- A life that stands as all true lives have stood, Firm-rooted in the faith that God is Good. 1881.
What this Textopian page supports
Requirement is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, dated 1826 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: John Greenleaf Whittier
- Date: 1826 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Inspirational Poetry, Nature Poetry, Moral Poetry
- Length: 128 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Requirement by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Requirement?
- How does this poem by John Greenleaf Whittier fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Religious Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Summons by John Greenleaf Whittier
- The Waiting by John Greenleaf Whittier
- A Service Of Song by Emily Dickinson
- The Friends Burial by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Encore by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Transplanted by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The work explores themes of faith, justice, and morality, characteristic of religious poetry.
- Philosophical Poetry — It engages with philosophical questions about the nature of faith and reason.
- Inspirational Poetry — The poem aims to inspire readers towards a life of good deeds and moral integrity.
- Nature Poetry — It reflects on the relationship between nature and spirituality, emphasizing the beauty of an ordered life.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Free Verse · Nature Poetry · Romanticism · Mortality · Loss · Grief · Love · Longing · Nostalgia