| Anne Bradstreet is probably buried in the Old
Burying Ground, North Andover, Massachusetts, USA -
although Salem also lays claim to her remains. In 2000 a
memorial grave marker was erected to
commemorate her life.
Memorial for Anne
Bradstreet (Photo © Walter Skold)
Anne was born in Northampton in England and emigrated
with her father Thomas Dudley and her husband Simon
Bradstreet in 1630 aboard the Arabella. On
arriving in America she lived at Charlestown, Boston,
Cambridge and Ipswich before finally settling at North
Andover. Despite poor health and the hardships of
colonial life she had eight children.
Anne Bradstreet
Her collection of poems The Tenth Muse Lately
Sprung up in America was first published in London
in 1650 and she became well known in both the Old and
the New World. Her work was heavily influenced by the
French poet Guillame de Salluste Du Bartes who also
influenced John Milton. She was
part of the Puritan tradition - along with fellow
emigrant poets such as Edward Taylor and Michael
Wigglesworth. She was also the
first American woman to have a book published.
In 1965 the poet John Berryman wrote a long
biographical tribute to her entitled Homage to
Mistress Bradstreet.
Bradstreet is best remembered today for her shorter
poems rather than her long historical and philosophical
works. The following poem is number eighteen from her
Contemplations series: |