{
 "id": "phillis-wheatley/on-the-death-of-j-c-an-infant",
 "title": "On the Death of J. C. An Infant",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Phillis Wheatley",
 "poet_slug": "phillis-wheatley",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral",
 "book_slug": "poems-on-various-subjects-religious-and-moral",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 31,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1773,
  "venue": "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://github.com/standardebooks/phillis-wheatley_poems-on-various-subjects-religious-and-moral"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/phillis-wheatley_poems-on-various-subjects-religious-and-moral",
  "file": "poems-on-various-subjects-religious-and-moral.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/409",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsonvarioussu273whea",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofphilliswh00whea_1"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-14"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 42,
  "n_stanzas": 3,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 52,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "No more the flow’ry scenes of pleasure rife,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nor charming prospects greet the mental eyes,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No more with joy we view that lovely face",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Smiling, disportive, flush’d with ev’ry grace.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The tear of sorrow flows from ev’ry eye,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Groans answer groans, and sighs to sighs reply;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What sudden pangs shot thro’ each aching heart,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When, Death, thy messenger dispatch’d his dart?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thy dread attendants, all-destroying Pow’r,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hurried the infant to his mortal hour.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Could’st thou unpitying close those radiant eyes?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Or fail’d his artless beauties to surprise?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Could not his innocence thy stroke controul,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thy purpose shake, and soften all thy soul?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The blooming babe, with shades of Death o’er-spread,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "No more shall smile, no more shall raise its head,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But, like a branch that from the tree is torn,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Falls prostrate, wither’d, languid, and forlorn.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Where flies my James?” ’tis thus I seem to hear",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The parent ask, “Some angel tell me where",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“He wings his passage thro’ the yielding air?”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Methinks a cherub bending from the skies",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Observes the question, and serene replies,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“In heav’ns high palaces your babe appears:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Prepare to meet him, and dismiss your tears.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shall not th’ intelligence your grief restrain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And turn the mournful to the cheerful strain?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Cease your complaints, suspend each rising sigh,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Cease to accuse the Ruler of the sky.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Parents, no more indulge the falling tear:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let Faith to heav’n’s refulgent domes repair,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "There see your infant, like a seraph glow:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What charms celestial in his numbers flow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Melodious, while the soul-enchanting strain",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Dwells on his tongue, and fills th’ ethereal plain?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Enough⁠—for ever cease your murm’ring breath;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not as a foe, but friend converse with Death,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Since to the port of happiness unknown",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He brought that treasure which you call your own.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The gift of heav’n intrusted to your hand",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Cheerful resign at the divine command:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not at your bar must sov’reign Wisdom stand.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}