To My Dear and Loving Husband

“A Letter to her Husband, absent upon Publick employment” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)

This is another love poem by Bradstreet for her husband, forming an interesting companion piece for “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” Bradstreet describes her longing for her husband while he is away from home, using some of the same tropes featured in “To My Dear and Loving Husband,” such as the emphasis on interconnected companionship and the spiritual dimension of true love.

“The Author to Her Book” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)

The prefatory poem “The Author to Her Book” first appeared in the second, posthumous printing of Bradstreet’s collection The Tenth Muse in 1678. In the poem, Bradstreet addresses her “book” (i.e., her poetry collection) directly as though it were a child, and she humorously reflects upon her insecurities and possible flaws as a writer. It is one of Bradstreet’s most famous poems.

“By Night When Others Soundly Slept” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)

This poem is a window into the spiritual side of Bradstreet’s life and work, reflecting her strong Puritan beliefs. Pondering her direct communion with Jesus, Bradstreet describes her connection to “[her] Saviour” (Line 13) as both deeply personal and sustaining.