The Slave Mother
Implied as the cruel hands that tear the child from the mother.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia's sons and daughters, depicted as suffering under oppression and awaiting redemption.
The Slave Auction
The enslaved individuals at the auction, including young girls, mothers, women, men, and children, who suffer the trauma of being sold.
Died of Starvation
The rich and proud are feasting while the poor man and his family starve.
The Fugitive's Wife
Implied as the enslaved family, including the children playing around the cabin door.
Be Active
Addressed as 'sons of freedom' and 'men of every clime and nation,' called to action against oppression.
To the Union Savers of Cleveland
Addressed as 'Men of Cleveland,' the collective Union savers who failed to act with mercy.
Moses
The Hebrew slaves who mourn Moses' departure and later his death; they are the collective recipients of his leadership.
The Parting
The Hebrew race, whose oppression and suffering Moses chooses to share, seeking their liberation.
Flight Into Midian
The Hebrew laborers are oppressed, aged, and hopeless, but some harbor secret wrath.
V
The Israelites suffer under the increased burdens, faint, and reproach Moses and Aaron for their plight.
VI
Israelites who panic and murmur against Moses, then witness God's deliverance and sing triumph.
VII
They journey from Zuphim's sea to Sinai and hear the Decalogue.
VIII
The people weep in unbelief, turn toward Egypt, and ask for a captain to lead them back into bondage.
The Death of Moses
The mourning Israelites who watch Moses ascend, offering blessings and farewells.
Lines to Hon. Thaddeus Stevens
Implied as the nation that has been purged by fire but risks stumbling on the cinders of God's wrath.
An Appeal to the American People
Addressed as the American people, reminded of their debt to those who fought for freedom.
Death of Zombi
The community that suffers mourning, famine, and death, ultimately yielding after days of resistance.
The Dying Fugitive
Implied as the community witnessing the fugitive's death and his struggle for freedom.
The Freedom Bell
The collective nation enduring throes and renewing life.
Vashti
The king's counselors and lords who witness Vashti's refusal and advise the king.
Words for the Hour
Addressed as 'Men of the North' and 'Northern men', called to rise up and fight for justice.
President Lincoln’s Proclamation of Freedom
The oppressed millions waiting for freedom are referenced as the beneficiaries of the proclamation.
Fifteenth Amendment
The rising race, newly crowned with freedom and the right to vote.
Retribution
The guilty nation that ignored warnings and faced divine retribution.
The Sin of Achan
The people of Israel are depicted as initially flushed with hope but then routed and defeated, later purging the evil from their tents to win the battle.
The Little Builders
Implied as the beneficiaries of the children's labor in building freedom's throne.
Our English Friends
The English friends are collectively praised as noble men who stood for freedom.
The Tennessee Hero
The savage throng and cowardly crew who torture and kill the hero.
Lines
The people are represented as the trembling Future and the throbbing bosoms asking about the country's doom.
The Slave Mother
The poem appeals to 'my country' and 'men and Christians' as the collective people who must choose to stand for freedom.
A Fairer Hope, a Brighter Morn
The oppressors who sowed the wind and now fear the tempest of their own guilt.
The Martyr of Alabama
The white toughs who murder Tim Thompson and represent the guilty nation.
A Story of the Rebellion
The crew of the boat, trapped and desperate, who are saved by the hero's act.
The Hermit's Sacrifice
The Roman crowd that initially cries for the hermit's death but later becomes thoughtful and ends the games.
Songs for the People
The collective audience for whom the songs are intended, including the weary, children, the poor, and the aged.
An Appeal to My Countrywomen
Referenced as 'sin-laden and guilty' people who will face God's retribution for their crimes.
Then and Now
The collective nation, built through struggle and oppression, now experiencing freedom.
The Present Age
Represented as diverse nations and faiths uniting across boundaries.
Dedication Poem
The aged residents of the home are the beneficiaries of the gift.
A Double Standard
Society that hypocritically condemns the woman while excusing the man.
Our Hero
The passengers on the Hannah who are saved by the hero's actions.
Home, Sweet Home
The soldiers from both camps who join in singing 'Home, Sweet Home'
The Pure in Heart Shall See God
Referenced as 'they' who shall see God in various natural and spiritual phenomena.
“Do Not Cheer, Men Are Dying,” Said Capt. Phillips, in the Spanish-American War
The poem addresses the collective 'you' who might cheer, representing society's complicity in war.
The Burdens of All
Implied as all humanity—black, brown, and white—who must unite to ease burdens and build the kingdom of God.
The Ragged Stocking
The throngs of parents and children on Christmas eve, representing the joyful community from which the narrator felt alienated.
The Fatal Pledge
The bride and the young man are the central figures in this moral tale.
The Resurrection of Jesus
The disciples are portrayed as mourning, fearful, and later transformed into heroes after witnessing the risen Christ.
Simon's Countrymen
The 'dark-browed sons of Africa' are the oppressed group, bearing a 'cross of shame' in a Christian nation that fails to live up to its ideals.
