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O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
Sep 7, 2013 · Today “Lift Every Voice and Sing” is one of the most cherished songs of the African American Civil Rights Movement and is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.
- Summary
- Themes
- Structure and Form
- Literary Devices
- Introduction
- Detailed Analysis
- Similar Poetry
‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ by James Weldon Johnsonis a powerful poem about freedom and the impact of the past. Throughout this piece, Johnson celebrates African American heritage, the strength of the men and women who have come before him, and the promise of the future. He does not shy away from the darkness they’ve walked about of but uses it as ...
Johnson explores themes of freedom, suffering, and joy in ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’ The poem is incredibly optimistic. But, it does not ignore the suffering of the past. In fact, the speaker takes the time to acknowledge everything terrible that’s happened to his community throughout time. He cites the men and women who fought for equal rights, ...
‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ by James Weldon Johnson is a three-stanza poem/song. The stanzas are ten, eleven, and twelve lines long. The poem’s first stanza follows a simple rhyme scheme of AABCCBDDEE but then changes somewhat, ending in a triplet in the second stanza. But, it is mostly consistent throughout with couplets and alternate rhymesgiving...
Johnson makes use of several literary devices in ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’ These include but are not limited to: 1. Alliteration: the repetitionof the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words. For example, “Where” and “white” at the end of stanza two and “heaven” and “harmonies” at the beginning of stanza one. 2. Imagery: the use of parti...
Before beginning ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’readers should take note of the instructor text that often accompanies the poem. It was written directly from Johnson’s perceptive and describes how the song came into being. He says: He adds to this, saying that the song passed through their minds, but it remained in those of the school children. They “...
Stanza One
In the first stanza of ‘Life Every Voice and Sing,’ the speaker begins with the line that later came to be used as the title of the poem. The speaker asks that every voice lift itself to the sky and sing. It should be a celebration of “Liberty.” This is a beautiful image, one that’s meant to inspire celebration and joy in the face of oppression and a history of suffering. The poem defines specific parts of the African American experience, as Weldon saw it. He was thinking about the past, the...
Stanza Two
The rhyme scheme in the second stanza of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ is quite effective, especially considering how short some of the lines are. Most are around five lines long and help to drive home the speaker’s depiction of the past. The road they’ve walked down is “Stony,” he begins. This is a great example of a metaphor. The speaker is alluding to the past and all the obstacles he, his friends, family members, and the border African American community has had to get over. But, they’ve wa...
Stanza Three
In the final stanza of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ the speaker addresses God. He refers to God as the person who “hast by Thy might / Led us into the light.”It’s with God’s strength that his community has been able to overcome all the horrorsin their past and present. These lines take on the form of a prayer as the poem continues. The speaker asks that they “forever” be kept on this lighted path and never “stray” from the places where “we met Thee.” The poem concludes with the speaker asking...
Readers who enjoyed ‘Life Every Voice and Sing’ should also consider reading some other James Weldon Johnson poems. For example: 1. ‘Mother Night’ – describes the speaker’s optimistic beliefs in regards to the afterlife and religion. 2. ‘Prayer at Sunrise’ – depicts the power of the sun and requests that the speaker is provided God’s strength. 3. ‘...
- Female
- October 9, 1995
- Poetry Analyst And Editor
This hymn praises thanksgiving for devotion and deliverance, with symbolism referring to the biblical Exodus from slavery to the freedom of the "promised land". "Lift Every Voice and Sing" is included in 39 various Christian hymnals and is used in churches throughout North America.
Feb 1, 2021 · Singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” pushes toward a sacramental act; it does what it says, calling to mind a history, drawing together disparate voices, making us “a people.”
Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day ...
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Poem analysis of James Weldon Johnson's 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' through the review of literary techniques, poem structure, themes, and the proper usage of quotes.
