Thou ill-form’d offspring of my feeble brain,
Who after birth did’st by my side remain,
Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise than true,
Who thee abroad expos’d to public view,
Made thee in rags, halting to th’ press to trudge,
Where errors were not lessened (all may judge).
At thy return my blushing was not small,
My rambling brat (in print) should mother call.
I cast thee by as one unfit for light,
Thy Visage was so irksome in my sight,
Yet being mine own, at length affection would
Thy blemishes amend, if so I could.
I wash’d thy face, but more defects I saw,
And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw.
I stretcht thy joints to make thee even feet,
Yet still thou run’st more hobbling than is meet.
In better dress to trim thee was my mind,
But nought save home-spun Cloth, i’ th’ house I find.
In this array, ‘mongst Vulgars mayst thou roam.
In Critics’ hands, beware thou dost not come,
And take thy way where yet thou art not known.
If for thy Father askt, say, thou hadst none;
And for thy Mother, she alas is poor,
Which caus’d her thus to send thee out of door.
The Author to her Book
Analysis, meaning and summary of Anne Bradstreet's poem The Author to her Book
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Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Anne Bradstreet better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.
thank you for writing your thoughts they helped me with my lit logs so just wannted to say thanks and it’s a great poem
thank you for inspiration and the important details that can relate to my self.
The author through this poem passes the message that whatever you do is never good enough,or at least she feals so.As far as I am concerned,this poem is about humility and how this value should define one person’s life.You have to feal shy and humble everything that God gives you.
She wrote this poem after her brother-in-law took a manuscript of her poems (she had shared them with family and friends) to England and had it published. Most authors want the opportunity to polish their early work before it is published, and surely she is no exception.
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