To S.M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works

“To S.M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works” by Black 18th century poet Phillis Wheatley was published in her first and only collection of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, in 1773. Although Wheatley was an enslaved person, most of her poetry rarely explicitly tackles questions of Black identity or mentions Wheatley’s personal life. However, this lyric poem focuses on a personal connection with another Black artist.

In the poem, Wheatley’s speaker expresses her emotional reaction upon seeing a painting. The speaker pushes the artist Scipio Moorhead to seek immortality before pivoting to a philosophical discussion about the relationship between art, artist, fame, and death. The poem reflects Wheatley’s interests: It is filled with Greek and Roman allusions and includes a Christian message, concluding that the immortality of heaven outlasts the artist’s earthly creativity and fame.

Poet Biography

Phillis Wheatley, also sometimes spelled Phyllis and Wheatly, was the first African American poet and only the second woman poet to be published. Wheatley, one of the best-known American poets of the time, wrote prolifically. Her poems often center on her religious faith, classical ideals, and the emerging American identity.