“If what I do prove well, it won’t advance. They’ll say it’s stolen, or else it was by chance.”~Anne Bradstreet

The first American poet on the list! And not another American until almost 150 years later.

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompence.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persever,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

The feminist critics have tried to reinterpret Ms. Bradstreet’s poetry so as to have their female poet and make her a modern feminist, too. She, according to them, wrote of her love and duty to her husband in such glowing terms despite the fact that “Puritan women were expected to be reserved, domestic, and subservient to their husbands. They were not expected or allowed to exhibit their wit, charm, intelligence, or passion.” The fact that Anne Bradstreet does exhibit wit, charm, intelligence, and passion makes her an anomaly. However, I tend to think there was just as much, certainly no less, wit, etc. among Puritan women as there is nowadays among non-Puritanical types. Probably there was more back then, since only those who take God seriously and themselves lightly are able to safely indulge in wit, humor and passion.

Save this poem for Valentine’s Day and give it to your dearly beloved husband, all ye wives of good husbands.