When Anne Bradstreet was a little over thirty, five children absorbing much of her thought and time, three more being added during the first six years at Andover. When five had passed out into the world and homes of their own, she wrote, in 1656, half regretfully, yet triumphantly, too, a poem which is really […]

In anguish of my heart repleat with woes, And wasting pains, which best my body knows, In tossing slumbers on my wakeful bed, Bedrencht with tears that flow from mournful head, Till nature had exhausted all her store, Then eyes lay dry disabled to weep more; And looking up unto his Throne on high, Who […]

Twice ten years old not fully told since nature gave me breath, My race is run, my thread is spun, lo! here is fatal Death. All men must dye, and so must I, this cannot be revoked, For Adam’s sake, this word God spake, when he so high provoke’d. Yet live I shall, this life’s […]

“My head, my heart, mine Eyes, my life, my more, My joy, my Magazine of earthly store. If two be one as surely thou and I, How stayest thou there, whilst I at Ipswich lie? So many steps, head from the heart to sever, If but a neck, soon would we be together; I like […]

A Dialogue between Old England And New; concerning their present Troubles. Anno, 1642. NEW ENGLAND. Alas, dear Mother, fairest Queen and best, With honour, wealth and peace happy and blest; What ails thee hang thy head and cross thine arms? And sit i’ th’ dust, to sigh these sad alarms? What deluge of new woes […]

All things within this fading world hath end, Adversity doth still our joys attend; No tyes so strong, no friends so dear and sweet But with death’s parting blow is sure to meet. The sentence past is most irrevocable A common thing, yet oh, inevitable; How soon, my Dear, death may my steps attend, How […]

“As loving Hind that (Hartless) wants her Deer, Scuds through the woods and Fern with hearkening ear, Perplext, in every bush and nook doth pry, Her dearest Deer might answer ear or eye; So doth my anxious soul, which now doth miss, A dearer Deer (far dearer Heart) than this. Still wait with doubts and […]

Phoebus, make haste, the day’s too long, be gone, The silent nights, the fittest time for moan; But stay this once, unto my suit give ear, And tell my griefs in either Hemisphere. (And if the whirling of thy wheels don’t drown’d) The woeful accents of my doleful sound, If in thy swift Carrier thou […]

Thou ill-form’d offspring of my feeble brain, Who after birth didst by my side remain, Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise then true Who thee abroad, expos’d to publick view, Made thee in raggs, halting to th’ press to trudg, Where errors were not lessened (all may judg) At thy return my blushing […]

“To my dear and loving Husband: If ever two were one then surely we, If ever man were loved by wife, then thee; If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me ye women if you can. I prize thy love more than whole Mines of Gold, Or all the riches that the […]

To finish what’s begun was my intent, My thoughts and my endeavors thereto bent; Essays I many made but still gave out, The more I mus’d, the more I was in doubt: The subject large my mind and body weak, With many more discouragements did speak. All thoughts of further progress laid aside, Though oft […]

“In silent night when rest I took, For sorrow neer I did not look, I waken’d was with thundring nois And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice; That fearfull sound of fire and fire, Let no man know is my desire. I, starting up the light did spye, And to my God my heart did cry […]

In August, of 1669 As weary pilgrim now at rest, Hugs with delight his silent nest His wasted limbes now lye full soft That myrie steps have trodden oft. Blesses himself to think upon his dangers past, and travails done. The burning sun no more shall heat Nor stormy raines on him shall beat. The […]

Who deceased July 31, 1653, and of his Age, 77. By duty bound, and not by custome led To celebrate the praises of the dead, My mournfull mind, sore prest, in trembling verse Presents my Lamentations at his Herse, Who was my Father, Guide, Instructor too, To whom I ought whatever I could doe: Nor […]

Thou mighty God of Sea and Land, I here resigne into thy hand The Son of prayers, of vowes, of teares, The child I stayed for many yeares. Thou heard’st me then and gave’st him me; Hear me again, I give him Thee. He’s mine, but more, O Lord thine own, For sure thy Grace […]

SPRING Another four I’ve left yet to bring on, Of four times four the last Quarternion, The Winter, Summer, Autumn & the Spring, In season all these Seasons I shall bring; Sweet Spring like man in his Minority, At present claim’d, and had priority. With Smiling face and garments somewhat green, She trim’d her locks, […]

AN ELEGIE Upon that Honourable and renowned Knight Sir Philip Sidney, who was untimely slain at the Siege of Zutphen, Anno, 1586., When England did enjoy her Halsion dayes, Her noble Sidney wore the Crown of Bayes; As well an honour to our British Land, As she that swayed the Scepter with her hand; Mars […]

Among the happy wits this age hath shown Great, dear, sweet Bartas thou art matchless known; My ravished eyes and heart with faltering tongue, In humble wise have vowed their service long But knowing th’ task so great & strength but small, Gave o’re the work before begun withal, My dazled sight of late reviewed […]

AN EPITAPH ON MY DEAR AND EVER-HONORED MOTHER, MRS. DOROTHY DUDLEY, WHO DECEASED DECEMB 27 1643, AND OF HER AGE 61. Here lyes A worthy Matron of unspotted life, A loving Mother and obedient wife, A friendly Neighbor pitiful to poor, Whom oft she fed and clothed with her store, To Servants wisely aweful but […]

The Fire, Air, Earth and Water did contest Which was the strongest, noblest and the best, Who was of greatest use and might’est force; In placide Terms they thought now to discourse, That in due order each her turn should speak; But enmity this amity did break All would be chief, and all scorn’d to […]