Poetry can change the way people think, it can make people aware of the reality they would otherwise turn a blind eye to and gain support for a writer's arguments and beliefs. Poetry can sometimes leave a more powerful impression than prose, as it is not limited by the conventions of everyday language; every single word or even syllable is chosen to convey an idea. The poetess Frances E.W. Harper used her skill as a poet to speak out on behalf of the severely repressed African American slaves in the late eighteenth century America. Harper was a lecturer, social reformer, and worker in the Underground Railroad and was famous in her time. Most of her poetry was about the need for social reform in America and to appreciate her work it is necessary to know about the cruelty of slavery and what the conditions were like for...