A Letter to her Husband, absent upon Publick employment

Anne Bradstreet

1612 to 1672

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I here, thou there, yet both but one.
True living Pictures of their Fathers face.
I like the earth this season, mourn in black,
My joy, my Magazine of earthly store,
If two be one, as surely thou and I,
Till natures sad decree shall call thee hence;
But when thou Northward to me shalt return,
My Sun is gone so far in's Zodiack,
His warmth such frigid colds did cause to melt.
Whom whilst I 'joy'd, nor storms, nor frosts I felt,
Then view those fruits which through thy heat I bore?
Within the Cancer of my glowing breast,
My head, my heart, mine Eyes, my life, nay more,
So many steps, head from the heart to sever
In this dead time, alas, what can I more
I wish my Sun may never set, but burn
How stayest thou there, whilst I at Ipswich lye?
Which sweet contentment yield me for a space,
Return, return sweet Sol from Capricorn;
I weary grow, the tedious day so long;
The welcome house of him my dearest guest.
O strange effect! now thou art Southward gone,
Flesh of thy flesh, bone of thy bone,
If but a neck, soon should we be together:
Where ever, ever stay, and go not thence,
My chilled limbs now nummed lye forlorn;