John Greenleaf Whittier was an American poet and Quaker who advocated for the abolition of slavery. He is often regarded, or linked, with the Fireside Poets. His 1866 book, Snow-Bound, is one of his best-known works. Several of his poems were turned into hymns and speak on sentimental and religious themes.
‘Maud Muller’ by John Greenleaf Whittier is a classic narrative ballad that recounts how the poor peasant, Maud, and an urban judge fantasize about getting married and living together. However, neither of them ever takes action, which fills their lives with regret.
God pity them both! and pity us all,
Who vainly the dreams of youth recall.
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: “It might have been!”
‘The Eternal Goodness’ by John Greenleaf Whittier is a relatively unknown 19th-century poem that explores religious themes and the various ways that God’s love comes through.
O friends! with whom my feet have trod
The quiet aisles of prayer,
Glad witness to your zeal for God
And love of man I bear.
‘The Pumpkin’ by John Greenleaf Whittier celebrates the pumpkin’s beauty, nostalgia, and its power to evoke cherished memories and emotions.
Oh, greenly and fair in the lands of the sun,
The vines of the gourd and the rich melon run,
And the rock and the tree and the cottage enfold,
With broad leaves all greenness and blossoms all gold,
‘The Barefoot Boy’ by John Greenleaf Whittier is a highly relatable poem that speaks on universal themes of aging and the beauty and joy of youth. The poem celebrates a young boy’s freedom and mourns the coming of age.
Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned-up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
John Greenleaf Whittier’s ‘Abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia, 1862’ is an optimistic poem on the end of slavery. This poem is about future hope and aspiration after slavery is abolished by the grace of God.
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