In the early 17th century, colonial America was just getting started. And one of its settlers, Anne Bradstreet, became the colonies' first poet.
Anne spent her childhood in England. She lived on the property of a nobleman, the Earl of Lincoln. Her father was the Earl's helper and close friend. Anne played in the Earl's lush gardens. Her favorite place, though, was the Earl's library. There, she fell in love with the written word. And before she was even 13, Anne had written many beautiful poems.
When Anne was 18, she sailed for Boston, then a new colony of England. Her father and husband went along. It was only ten years after the Pilgrims had arrived in America. Like the Pilgrims, Anne's family went to America in search of religious freedom.
America was not as comfortable as the Earl's home. But the free-spirited Anne liked the rawness of the land. As time passed, Anne and her husband moved further and further away from Boston. Finally, they moved to North Andover, Massachussetts—a place where few other families had settled.
Meanwhile, back in England, a cousin of Anne's found the poems she wrote when she was young. He liked them so much that he had them published. All of England was amazed that such wonderful poems could come from a woman and an American.
Anne had eight children. But despite being busy, Anne kept on writing about love, family, and spirituality. In a poem for her husband she wrote,
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 recompense.
Poems like these, written from the colonies, are what she is remembered for.
