On Friendship

In Phillis Wheatley’s one-stanza poem, crafted in heroic couplets, the tone of the speaker is one of reverence and respect towards the subject of the poem.

The first line uses the assonance of “a,” or repeating vowel sounds to augment the word “amicitia” (Line 1). Amicitia is the Latin word for “friendship,” which is the subject of the poem. The words “ample reign” connect back to the assonance of “a” but also suggest a comparison between friendship and a queen (Line 1). In using the pronoun “her” and depicting friendship as queen-like in her power (Line 1), Wheatley remains consistent to the feminine gender form of the Latin word.

The second line continues the idea of “ample” from the first line by bringing in the word “celestial” (Line 2), which encompasses the sky and even beyond into heaven. Wheatley describes the “notes” (Line 2) “extend[ing]” into a “celestial strain” (Line 2), suggesting that friendship is a form of divine music, something both powerful and uplifting. Friendship has far-reaching capabilities, like the wavelength of a song from the earth to the heavens.

The third line features alliteration—the repetition of initial consonant sounds—of “b” sounds with “benevolent” and “bright” (Line 3), creating a sense of tidiness and harmony.