Death & Dying

An Epitaph On my dear and ever honoured Mother Mrs. Dorothy Dudley, Who deceased Decemb. 27. 1643. and of her age, 61:

by Anne Bradstreet c. 1612–1672

From Several Poems (1678)

Death & Dying

Here lyes,
A Worthy Matron of unspotted life,
A loving Mother and obedient wife,
A friendly Neighbor, pitiful to poor,
Whom oft she fed, and clothed with her store;
To Servants wisely aweful, but yet kind,
And as they did, so they reward did find:
A true Instructor of her Family,
The which she ordered with dexterity.
The publick meetings ever did frequent,
And in her Closet constant hours she spent;
Religious in all her words and wayes,
Preparing still for death, till end of dayes:
Of all her Children, Children, liv'd to see,
Then dying, left a blessed memory.

MLA

Bradstreet, Anne. “An Epitaph On my dear and ever honoured Mother Mrs. Dorothy Dudley, Who deceased Decemb. 27. 1643. and of her age, 61.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/bradstreet/22/.

Chicago

Bradstreet, Anne. “An Epitaph On my dear and ever honoured Mother Mrs. Dorothy Dudley, Who deceased Decemb. 27. 1643. and of her age, 61.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/bradstreet/22/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Anne Bradstreet