Poetry Analysis: "Before the Birth of One of Her Children"

“Before the Birth of One of Her Children,” by Anne Bradstreet is a poem from a mother to her unborn child, warning her child about the world she is about to enter. In beginning of the poem, the mother is telling her child that death is inevitable and a part of life. This is evident in the first line, “All things within this fading world hath end.” Bradstreet then writes of the mother’s own death and that it could be soon in the line, “How soon, my Dear, death may my steps attend.” The mother’s possible early death could be because this poem was written over 300 years ago, and childbirth was a very serious risk. In the end of the poem, the mother is telling her child to forgive her for her “many faults that well you know I have.” She is also telling her unborn child to watch over her “little babies, my dear remains.” This entire poem is based around death, especially the possible death of the mother. I think Bradshaw was scared she could possibly die during one of her pregnancies, and this was poem was autobiographical.