Francis Daniel Pastorius, considered “Pennsylvania’s first poet,” wrote “A Token of Love and Gratitude,” shortly after the city of Philadelphia was founded by William Penn in 1682. This poem details the author’s settlement on land he purchased from Penn when the area was still a “howling wilderness,” while later works “recalled the city’s humble origins,” according to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Of course, this was just the beginning of a rich history of Philadelphia poetry and remarkable poets that will forever be associated with the City of Brotherly Love. In celebration of National Poetry Month this April, here are just a few.
Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49)
In his most famous and beloved poem, Edgar Allan Poe wrote, “Quoth the Raven Nevermore.” However, “Forevermore” is probably more accurate. Written in and published in 1845, “The Raven and Other Poems,” is easily “one of the greatest examples of American Gothic literature” in history, according to Brittanica. Poe was not a native Philadelphian, but two of his most enduring and frightening works, “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat,” as well as several well-known poems, were written right here, in the cellar of the Edgar Allan Poe House located on North 7th Street. Poe’s six years in Philly (1838 to 1844) were his most productive, as noted by ushistory.org, and it is believed “The Raven” was also conceived during this period. Today, Poe is the namesake of the Raven Society, one of three membership plans offered by The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation (as well as signature events like the Poe Party and Ravens on the Rooftop). Through Special Collections at the Free Library and other initiatives, we help to curate historic materials and rare books to share with the public. This includes one of the finest Poe collections in the world and the only surviving copy of “The Raven” in Poe’s handwriting.
Walt Whitman (1819–92)
While his most celebrated work, “Leaves of Grass” (1855), an ode to nature and humanity, was largely written in nearby Camden, New Jersey, Walt Whitman will always be associated with the city of Philadelphia. According to the Whitman Archive, the poet “exerted considerable effort at establishing a reputation in Philadelphia,” visiting the “Mercantile Library on Tenth Street, frequenting the downtown printing offices, drinking at the waterfront saloons, and befriending the streetcar conductors along Market Street.” He also gained several influential patrons in the city, including the publisher of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, the owner of the Philadelphia Press, and faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1875, Whitman published a Centennial edition of “Leaves of Grass” in two volumes, in honor of Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition. Walt Whitman is considered one of the greatest American poets of all time, and in 1957, a new bridge was named after him, crossing the Delaware River from New Jersey to Philadelphia and permanently connecting him to our city.
Effie Lee Newsome (1885–1979)
Born in Philadelphia, Effie Lee Newsome studied at multiple institutions, including the Philadelphia Academy of the Arts, and the University of Pennsylvania, according to The Academy of American Poets. Prolific during the Harlem Renaissance, her work was published in anthologies and several notable journals of the 1920s, including Opportunity, published by the National Urban League, and The Crisis, published by the NAACP. Known as a pioneer in children’s literature, she was one of the first African American writers to publish poems specifically for children. She also served as editor of “Little Page,” the children’s column in The Crisis, and as a children’s librarian, as noted by the Literary Ladies Guide. Her book, “Gladiola Garden: Poems of Outdoors and Indoors for Second Grade Readers” (1940), along with the works of other poets mentioned in our blog, can be found in the Free Library’s catalog.
More Historic Poets Forever Associated with Philly
- Hannah Griffitts (1727–1817) –Quaker and author of the poem, “The Female Patriots”
- Francis Hopkinson (1737-91) –Signer of the Declaration of Independence and America’s first poet-composer
- Philip Freneau (1752–1832) –Founder of the National Gazette in Philadelphia and known as the poet of the American Revolution
- Elizabeth Margaret Chandler (1807–1834) –First female poet in the United States to make the abolition of slavery her main theme
- Thomas Buchanan Read (1822–72) –Painter, poet and Union soldier who wrote about the beauty of Pennsylvania’s geography in “The New Pastoral”
- George Henry Boker (1823–90) –Poet, playwright, and diplomat who founded the Union League of Philadelphia
- Sonia Sanchez (1934–) –Philadelphia’s first poet laureate
While construction continues on Parkway Central Library’s third floor, join staff from the Rare Book Department, Theatre Collection, and Children’s Literature Research Collection for a Rare Books Roadshow pop-up event, held daily, Monday through Friday, at Free Library locations throughout Philly.
Please help us in our mission to collect and preserve historic materials and make them accessible to the public by donating to the Free Library Fund or becoming a Foundation member, and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn!
The Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. While the City of Philadelphia provides public funds for the operations of the Free Library, it is through the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and the generosity of private funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations that the Free Library is able to offer many of the Library’s incredible programs and activities that advance literacy, guide learning, inspire curiosity throughout the region, and help deliver on the promise of an equitable future for all of Philadelphia’s children, families, and communities.