Phillis Wheatley was the first African American poet published in the United States. The subject matter in the majority of her poems reflected her religious views and her new life in revolutionary New England. She believed that through finding God in one's life, salvation and mercy would follow. She was constantly overcoming stepping-stones to prove her literary talents and ability. Phillis Wheatley's perseverance and strong character, allowed her to find God in her own life and seek salvation. This young girl embodied many of the characteristics of the time, as she struggled to find herself in a new country that still was evolving and finding its own identity. .
Wheatley cites in her poetry other people that were also famous for their fights for freedom. For example, in Wheatley's Poems she concludes with an invocation to Terence. Terence is an appropriate person for Wheatley to reference because he had a very similar life experience. For example, just as Wheatley was brought into slavery from Africa as a child to America, so to Terence was sold into slavery at a young age and brought from Africa to Rome. Also, just as Wheatley's works are in the context of Revolutionary America, Terence's works focused on the role of slavery in context with the Roman culture at the time. Terrence's masters recognized his literary talents and supported his efforts as a writer. Similarly, although it was the death of her masters that lead to her eventual freedom, the Wheatley's recognized this same impressive literary talent, and helped her to become educated and to pursue her dream of writing. Through their writing, both Wheatley and Terence gained respect as individuals and were seen for their achievements and not solely for the color of their skin. .
In one of her most popular poems, "On Beings Brought from Africa to America," Wheatley writes .
'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, .
Taught me benighted soul to understand.
