Anne Bradstreet

The former four now ending their discourse,
Ceasing to vaunt their good, or threat their force.
Lo other four step up, crave leave to
The native qualityes that from them flow:

Most truly honoured, and as truly dear,
If worth in me or ought I do appear,
Who can of right better demand the same Than may your worthy self from whom it came?
The principal might yield a greater sum

Absent upon Public EmploymentMY head, my heart, mine eyes, my life, nay 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?…

My soul, rejoice thou in thy God,
Boast of him all the Day,
Walk in his Law, and kisse his Rod,
Cleaue close to him alway.

O thou Most High who rulest all
And hear’st the prayers of thine,
O hearken, Lord, unto my suit
And my petition sign.Into Thy everlasting arms Of mercy…

This Book by Any yet vnread,
I leaue for yov when I am dead,
That, being gone, here yov may
What was your liueing mother's mind.

When Sorrowes had begyrt me rovnd,
And Paines within and out,
When in my flesh no part was sovnd,
Then didst thou rid me out.

O Lord,
Thou hear'st my daily moan And see'st my dropping tears.
My troubles all are Thee before,
My longings and my fears.

Cyrus Cambyses Son of Persia King,
Whom Lady Mandana did to him bring,
She daughter unto great Astiages,
He in descent the seventh from Arbaces.

Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning
of Our house, July 10th. 1666. Copied Out of
a Loose Paper.In silent night when rest I took
For sorrow near I did not look…

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’ the dust to sigh these sad alarms?…

No sooner come, but gone, and fal'n asleep,
Acquaintance short, yet parting caus'd us weep,
Three flours, two searcely blown, the last i'th' bud,
Cropt by th'Almighties hand; yet is he good,

As loving hind that (hartless) wants her deer,
Scuds through the woods and fern with hark’ning ear,
Perplext, in every bush and nook doth pry,
Her dearest deer, might answer ear or eye;…

A ship that bears much sail, and little ballast, is easily overset; and that man, whose head hath great abilities, and his heart little or no grace, is in danger of foundering.
The finest bread has the least bran; the purest honey, the least…

As weary pilgrim, now at rest,
Hugs with delight his silent nest
His wasted limbes, now lye full soft
That myrie steps, haue troden oft…

What shall I render to Thy name
Or how Thy praises speak?
My thanks how shall I testify?
O Lord

Phoebus make haste, the day’s too long, be gone,
The silent night’s the fittest time for moan;
But stay this once, unto my suit give ear,
And tell my griefs in either hemisphere.…

Her Mother's
Here liesA worthy matron of unspotted life,
A loving mother and obedient wife,
A friendly neighbor, pitiful to poor,

Great Alexander was wise Philips son,
He to Amyntas,
Kings of Macedon;
The cruel proud Olympias was his Mother,

Worthy art Thou,
O Lord, of praise,
But ah!
It's not in me.

When feares and sorrowes me besett,
Then did'st thou rid me out;
When heart did faint and spirits quail,
Thou comforts me about.

In anguish of my heart replete with woes,
And wasting pains, which best my body knows,
In tossing slumbers on my wakeful bed,
Bedrenched with tears that flowed from mournful head,

In my distress I sought the Lord When naught on earth could comfort give,
And when my soul these things abhorred,
Then,
Lord,

I had eight birds hatched in one nest,
Four cocks there were, and hens the rest.
I nursed them up with pain and care,
Nor cost, nor labour did I spare