Anne Bradstreet | Before the Birth of One of Her Children | Close Reading

[@Bergbergberger]

Oh, my goodness! Thank you so much for the close read of one of Anne Bradstreet’s poems! How did you know that “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” is my favorite poem of hers? This was super special for me, and it helped me understand some confusing sentences and words that are in her poems. ~ Lucy

[@Bergbergberger]

Lucy is in disbelief. Thank you for this. She actually teared up during the video. It was so kind of you to make this video so quickly after her request. -Lucy’s Mom

[@robertgerrity878]

​@@Bergbergberger see John Berryman's HOMAGE TO MISTRISS BRADSTREET for another poet's appreciation, modern.

[@robertgainer2783]

Loved this! I’ve never heard of Anne Bradstreet, and I always enjoy discovering great poets whether contemporary or past. It is particularly insightful to hear the female voice from this period, experiencing a uniquely female anxiety, and even more so being a colonial voice (as it was in the 17th C). I was wondering about the capitalisation of Lot, and the untimely biblical death of Lot’s wife with its references to salt (bitterness, tears and death). I actually prefer oblivion’s to oblivious, it is much more resonant of fear (in my opinion), but I never knew that the word Herse related to the body and not the transportation (spelled ‘hearse’ this side of the Pond). Everyday is a school day. Wonderful! Thank you, Adam.

[@closereadingpoetry]

@j.scholberg8579 That's so wonderful. You're very welcome!

[@JudymayMurphy]

Great call, Lucy. I might never have known this poem if it weren't for you and Adam. Thank you.

[@KandR101]

Wouldn't have hated English literature and language classes if such channels and information had been accessible at that time. The person who swore of this subject thinking of taking the courses. Appreciate all the effort !

[@ottiliehewlett]

Really enjoyed this analysis and it certainly deeped my appreciation for Anne's lyrical genius. We're studying her in our Early Modern Women's Literature unit at Bristol University UK. I'm writing one of my papers on this poem, so this was very helpful. Thank you.

[@gristlevonraben]

beautiful poem. thank you for showing us its urgency and soul.

[@EduardoHenrique-nd1ro]

Thanks for sharing another lovely video, Adam! Cheers from Brazil!

[@tanmaygusain5908]

Absolutely admirable, Anne and you. Honestly any reading of a poem puts me in a day full of despair... every first (or tenth) reading is like that.. but you make it look so simple.. it's lovely :)

[@closereadingpoetry]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the reading!

[@EzzieChe]

Thank you. 🎉

[@fizzi-fofficial]

As a Pole this poem reminded me Threnodies of Jan Kochanowski that wrote on his dead daughter Orszula (XVI century). Fear of the death because of having a child (in terms of own death or baby) was very common in those scary, dark times. I'm very grateful of your work. Keep going. Respect and Peace from Poland!

[@angelablanco6671]

Love your videos! 🫶🏻

[@valmondias9759]

I love literature, especially poetry, I hope to one day publish my own books and I love your channel.

[@jamesduggan7200]

Good for you. For many years to come you will - at the very least - be able to look at it on your bookshelf. You can focus on it or point at your name on the spine. You can show it to your friends, even sign it for them. You can give one to your children, or better yet your grandchildren. And later in life you can go back to it and annotate it. So, I think that you should do it (but that's just me : )

[@jamesduggan7200]

Thank you. Possibly Bradstreet finds her voice in a silent place hard to imagine in a modern city, though with so many children on the other hand it could be as noisy as chaotic as it is here sometimes. However, I like to think that she needed, as I do, a few hours of peace and quiet to hear that voice and wonder if it hers and hers alone.

[@meganburbick1292]

Thank you so much for making poetry accessible to all! I would like to suggest a video on Yeats if you would be interested. The Second Coming is widely analyzed so possibly some other works, but either way, I would love to hear your thoughts.

[@closereadingpoetry]

I'll add it to the list and will be sure to cover it when we reach the Modernism lecture!

[@Apocryphon1]

Interestingly, Lot’s lot was to lose his dearest friend, his wife.

[@Khatoon170]

How are you doing mr Adam. Thank you for your wonderful cultural literary channel about Poetry and famous poets . I gathered main theme of poem and poet biography briefly here it’s Anne Bradstreet ( 1612- 1672) she was most prominent of early English poets of North America and first writer In England North American colonies to be published. She was first Puritan figure in American literature and notable for heritage corpus in poetry as well as personal writings published posthumously. She was famous because she was first woman recognized as accomplished new world as poet . Her volume lately sprung up in America received favorable attention when published in London 1650 . She was married at 16 and her parents, family migrated at time of founding Massachusetts colony in 1630 . Her poems main themes about culture, nature , on spiritually and theology and on tension between faith and doubt, on family, on death , on history.

[@Khatoon170]

Before birth or one of her children about death specifically death in childbirth, common Fate when this poem appeared in 1678 . First published writer from England North American colonies, Bradstreet was also mother of eight children. There are metaphor oblivious grave points out that grave ( symbol of death ) erase everything as well as smile. And when thou feel no grief also no ha ( line 19) that highlights that if pregnant woman husband feels nothing about his wife death . Just like she feels nothing because of. Lambic pentameter poem. During this time period 1 out of 3 every woman dies during childbirth. This poem was addressed to her husband as she goes on to say that if she does die that he remembers everything positive about her . I hope you like my poem analysis and synopsis of poet . Best wishes for you your loved ones. Thank you for giving us to read learn new information improve our English as well .

[@nicholasleonardbookedits-si9ng]

From on the moon let’s look upon our Earth where clouds as old as Zeus’s beard ballet. The whipped-cream stormclouds love to swirl and turn where couples could be kissing in their rain. Somewhere somebody wakes. Somebody sleeps and dreams of things they will forget about. Somebody in their window hugs their knees and lends the day a timeless thoughtful pout. Oh but it’s time to take our planet back. The globe you have to pay your taxes on? as slanted ruins long for people past who weren’t dependent on a soulless job. Why should we obey the rich anymore? Let’s burn our bills the way we toast our smores. my name is Nicholas Leonard, and this is a sonnet tht i wrote

[@closereadingpoetry]

Thanks for sharing! It's a good, urgent call for gaining a better perspective on the way we live.