William Ross Wallace (1819–81) was an American poet and lawyer, best known for his patriotic and lyrical poetry, including The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World (1865.)
Born in Lexington, Kentucky, he studied law at Indiana University-Bloomington and Hanover College before moving to New York City (1841,) where he practiced law while pursuing literary work. His early poetry gained recognition, with Perdita published in Union Magazine, followed by Alban the Pirate (1848,) a romantic narrative poem.
Wallace’s works reflected nationalism and reverence for American history, particularly the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. His notable publications include Meditations in America (1851,) Prattsville, an American Poem (1852,) and The Liberty Bell (1862,) celebrating American independence. His poem The Sword of Bunker Hill (1861) became a popular patriotic hymn.
He contributed to Godey’s Lady’s Book, Harper’s Magazine, Harper’s Weekly, and New York Ledger, earning praise from William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allan Poe, who called him “one of the very noblest of American poets.”
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William Ross Wallace
For the hand that rocks the cradle – Is the hand that rules the world
—William Ross Wallace
Topics: Mothers Day
A sound like a sound of thunder rolled,
And the heart of a nation stirred
—William Ross Wallace
Topics: Liberty
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