To a Lady and her Children, on the Death of her
The poem is a lamentation of the death of a young boy, expressing sorrow and grief at his passing. The speaker addresses the mother and her children, acknowledging their loss and offering condolences. The tone is somber and reflective, with a focus on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.
By Phillis Wheatley · First published 1773 · Genre: Elegy, Lyric Poetry, Religious Poetry · 324 words
First lines
O'erwhelming sorrow now demands my song: From death the overwhelming sorrow sprung.
What flowing tears? What hearts with grief opprest?
What this Textopian page supports
To a Lady and her Children, on the Death of her Son and their Brother is listed on Textopian as a poem by Phillis Wheatley, dated 1773 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Phillis Wheatley
- Date: 1773 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Elegy, Lyric Poetry, Religious Poetry, Inspirational Poetry, Narrative Poetry
- Length: 324 words
- Structure: 1 section, 15 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To a Lady and her Children, on the Death of her Son and their Brother by Phillis Wheatley
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- To My Friend On The Death Of His Sister by John Greenleaf Whittier
- To His Honour The Lieutenant Governor On The Death Of His Lady March 24 1773 by Phillis Wheatley
- Ode On The Death Of A Favourite Cat by Thomas Gray
- To A Little Lover Lass Dead by Langston Hughes
- To A Lady On The Death Of Three Relations by Phillis Wheatley
- Charles H Phillips Obit November 5th 1881 by James Whitcomb Riley
Genres
- Elegy — The work expresses deep sorrow and mourning for the loss of a loved one, characteristic of elegiac poetry.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem conveys personal emotions and reflections, typical of lyric poetry, focusing on grief and remembrance.
- Religious Poetry — The text includes themes of spiritual transcendence and divine comfort, aligning it with religious poetry.
- Inspirational Poetry — The poem encourages the bereaved to find solace in the idea of an afterlife and the virtues of the deceased.
Tags
Elegy · Poem · Mourning · Loss · Grief · Family · Children · Mother · Death · Tribute · Condolence · Sympathy
More by Phillis Wheatley
- To Maecenas (1733)
- On Virtue (1773)
- To the University of Cambridge, in New-England (1737)
- To the King's most Excellent Majesty. 1768 (1773)
- On being Brought from Africa to America (1773)
- On the Death of the Rev. Dr. Sewell. 1769 (1773)
- On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield. 1770 (1770)
- On the Death of a Young Lady of Five Years of Age (1773)
- All works by Phillis Wheatley