American continent had been discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and then became a refuge for the excommunicated "rogues" from England. At first, their literature was limited and revolved around myths (the stories concerning with the creation of metaphysical world) and folklore. But as the time progressed and education became widely available for the masses, poetry formed in the sound footings of 'Medieval Era', means their poetry had a strong religious influence. As a colony of England, the first-ever American poem was written by Anne Bradstreet, naming "The Tenth Muse" in the American continent but was published in London.
Post-Independence Poetry
Post-Independence poetry was composed after the independence of America in 1776 from England. They also wanted their literature to be free from any cultural bondage of England. That is how the post-colonial poetry (then literature) of America found its new thought-provoking shell. Here are some renowned poets and their work during that era:
- Thomas Morton
- Edgar Allen Poe (The Bell, The City in the Sea, A dream Within a Dream)
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (The Voices of The Night, Household Poems, In the Harbor)
- Walt Whitman (Captain O Captain)
1. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/American_poetry#/Poetry_in_the_colonies
