Before The Birth Of One Of Her Children Poem by Anne Bradstreet
Before The Birth Of One Of Her Children
All things within this fading world hath end,
Adversity doth still our joys attend;
No ties so strong, no friends so dear and sweet,
But with death's parting blow are 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 soon't may be thy lot to lose thy friend,
We both are ignorant, yet love bids me
These farewell lines to recommend to thee,
That when the knot's untied that made us one,
I may seem thine, who in effect am none.
And if I see not half my days that's due,
What nature would, God grant to yours and you;
The many faults that well you know I have
Let be interred in my oblivious grave;
If any worth or virtue were in me,
Let that live freshly in thy memory
And when thou feel'st no grief, as I no harmes,
Yet love thy dead, who long lay in thine arms,
And when thy loss shall be repaid with gains
Look to my little babes, my dear remains.
And if thou love thyself, or loved'st me,
These O protect from stepdame's injury.
And if chance to thine eyes shall bring this verse,
With some sad sighs honor my absent hearse;
And kiss this paper for thy dear love's sake,
Who with salt tears this last farewell did take.
A moving farewell with many a lesson to be learnt. Great poem.
A heart felt message to a trusted friend in tines distress, uncertainty or departure. Very emotional.
when thy loss shall be repaid with gains Look to my little babes, my dear remains. And if thou love thyself, or loved'st me, These O protect from stepdame's injury./// beautiful poetic expression
The habit of women to leave message for their dear ones when they themselves apprehend own death at critical times is remarkable and the same theme has mde the poem classic poem of the day.
" We both are ignorant" ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
And if chance to thine eyes shall bring this verse, With some sad sighs honor my absent hearse; And kiss this paper for thy dear love's sake, Who with salt tears this last farewell did take... a great poem indeed. tony
A very melancholic poem, but thoughtfully and so sweetly written the sadness feels down to your blood, a very gifted poet of the period between 1600-1700. She was a devoted Classic Poetess and had 8 children with her beloved spouse. She was born in the UK but lived till her death in the USA. Like many people at that time, she died because she had tuberculosis. True saddest. But AB was a devoted Classic Poetess
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/24/2024 1:24:08 PM # 1.0.0.1119
I think women in times of great stress often think they may perhaps die and want to leave a message for their loved ones- thank goodness most of the time the women survive and then feel perhaps a little foolish for their fears.