Major Voices in 19th Century American Women's Poetry

by Wolosky, Shira

• ISBN13: 9781592640409
• ISBN10: 1592640400
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Toby Pr

Summary

There are a number of anthologies of nineteenth-century American women poets in print, but these tend to offer a very small sample of poems from a very large number of writers, often based around a specific topical concern. "Major Voices, this Toby anthology, compiled and edited by Shira Wolosky, will instead present a substantial number of texts by a select group of poets--focusing in depth on the major voices of that time. This anthology will thus allow the reader the opportunity to engage more deeply with the poetry; to see the range within each poet's writings, and the relation among the poets. An introductory essay will identify central concerns, historical backgrounds, evolving patterns and poetic issues, as marked through the course of the century. The work of these poets provides a gripping view of the creativity of nineteenth-century American women that has been until recently almost entirely lost to literary history. Supremely relevant to today's readers, this is poetry that began the efforts at the redefinition of self, of America, and of womanhood t

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction: Women's Voices	1	(16)
Bibliographical Comments	17	(8)
Lydia Huntley Sigourney: 1791-1865	25	(62)
Introduction	27	(10)
Poems	37	(50)
To a Shred of Linen	37	(2)
Indian Names	39	(2)
A Name	41	(1)
The Suttee	41	(2)
On the Admission of Michigan into the Union	43	(2)
The Ark and Dove	45	(1)
Imitation of Parts of the Prophet Amos	46	(5)
Abraham at Macpelah	51	(1)
Pilgrim Fathers	52	(1)
The Fathers of New England	53	(2)
The Western Emigrant	55	(3)
The Volunteer	58	(1)
The Mother of Washington	59	(2)
Our Aborigines	61	(1)
Funeral of Mazeen	62	(2)
Indian Girl's Burial	64	(2)
The African Mother at her Daughter's Grave	66	(2)
To An Absent Daughter	68	(1)
Forgotten Flowers to a Bride	69	(1)
The Bride	70	(1)
Death of an Infant	71	(1)
On The Death of a Sister While Absent at School	72	(1)
School of Young Ladies	73	(1)
Benevolence	74	(1)
A Cottage Scene	75	(1)
Statue of the Spinning Girl	76	(1)
Poetry	77	(1)
Farewell of the Soul to the Body	78	(2)
The Sacred Poet	80	(1)
The Muse	81	(2)
The Needle, Pen, and Sword	83	(4)
Lucy Larcom: 1824-1893	87	(68)
Introduction	89	(8)
Poems	97	(58)
Prudence	97	(1)
Getting Along	98	(2)
"They Said"	100	(1)
A Loyal Woman's No	100	(3)
Hannah Binding Shoes	103	(1)
Her Choice	104	(2)
The Loaf-Giver: From An Idyll of Work	106	(5)
The Light-Houses	111	(1)
Goody Grunsell's House	112	(8)
A Gambrel Roof The Schoolmistress	120	(2)
A Call To Kansas	122	(1)
Elsie in Illinois	123	(3)
Blue-Eyed Grace	126	(2)
The Nineteenth of April (1861)	128	(1)
The Sinking of the Merrimack (May, 1862)	129	(1)
Waiting for News (July 4, 1863)	130	(3)
Re-enlisted (May, 1864)	133	(2)
Tolling (April 15, 1865)	135	(1)
The Flag (June 17, 1865)	136	(1)
The Secret	137	(1)
My Angel-Dress	138	(1)
Canticle De Profundis	139	(2)
The Weeping Prophet	141	(1)
The Rose Enthroned	142	(3)
Heaven's Need	145	(1)
My Name-Aunt	146	(2)
Unwedded	148	(3)
Weaving	151	(4)
Francis Watkins Harper: 1825-1911	155	(60)
Introduction	157	(6)
Poems	163	(52)
Bury Me in a Free Land	163	(1)
Bible Defence of Slavery	164	(1)
Vashti	165	(3)
Dedication Poem	168	(2)
Rizpah, the Daughter of Ai	170	(1)
Ruth and Naomi	171	(2)
Burial of Sarah	173	(2)
Retribution	175	(1)
Simon's Feast	176	(1)
The Slave Auction	177	(1)
The Slave Mother	178	(2)
Eliza Harris	180	(1)
The Fugitive's Wife	181	(1)
The Slave Mother, A Tale of the Ohio	182	(3)
Ethiopia	185	(1)
Free Labor	186	(1)
The Freedom Bell	187	(1)
The Change	188	(1)
Fifteenth Amendment	189	(1)
An Appeal to the American People	190	(1)
An Appeal to my Country Women	191	(2)
A Double Standard	193	(2)
The Contrast	195	(2)
The Revel	197	(1)
Going East	198	(2)
The Present Age	200	(3)
God Bless Our Native Land	203	(1)
The Artist	203	(1)
Songs for the People	204	(1)
Aunt Chloe	205	(3)
Church Building	208	(1)
Aunt Cloe's Politics	209	(1)
Learning to Read	209	(2)
Deliverance	211	(4)
Alice and Phoebe Cary: 1820/1824-1871	215	(94)
Introduction	217	(8)
Poems: Alice Cary	225	(28)
Growing Rich	225	(1)
The Washerwoman	226	(3)
The West Country	229	(1)
The Emigrants	230	(1)
Written on the Fourth of July, 1864	231	(1)
The Past and Present	232	(1)
Revolutionary Story	233	(2)
Abraham Lincoln	235	(1)
The Dawn of Peace	236	(2)
The Spectre Woman	238	(1)
The Women at the Sepulchre	239	(1)
The Poor	239	(1)
A Dying Hymn	240	(1)
Contradictory	241	(1)
My Poet	242	(2)
Secret Writing	244	(1)
Who is the Richer	244	(1)
The Old Homestead	245	(2)
Make Believe	247	(1)
The Bridal Veil	248	(1)
The Unwise Choice	249	(1)
Fame	250	(1)
Women	250	(1)
Contradiction	251	(2)
Poems: Phoebe Cary	253	(56)
The Lovers	253	(1)
Samuel Brown	254	(2)
The Day is Done	256	(1)
Jacob	257	(1)
A Psalm of Life: What the Heart of the Young Woman Said to the Old Maid	258	(1)
When Lovely Woman	259	(1)
Shakesperian Readings	260	(1)
Moral Lessons	260	(1)
The Wife	260	(1)
The Annoyers	261	(1)
John Thompson's Daughter	262	(2)
Kate Ketchem	264	(3)
Dorothy's Dower: In Three Parts	267	(1)
Granny's House	268	(4)
I Remember, I Remember	272	(1)
The Change	273	(1)
Coming Round	274	(1)
Worser Moments	275	(2)
Helpless	277	(1)
My Lady	278	(1)
Equality	279	(1)
Happy Women	280	(1)
To Miss Susan Anthony, on her Fiftieth Birthday	281	(1)
Advice Gratis to Certain Women by a Woman	282	(1)
Was He Henpecked?	283	(4)
Man Believes the Strong	287	(1)
Moralizings	288	(2)
The Outcast	290	(1)
Nobody's Child	291	(1)
The Brothers	292	(1)
John Brown	293	(1)
Our Good President	294	(2)
A Tent Scene	296	(1)
Peace	296	(1)
Nearer Home	297	(1)
Burial Hymn	298	(1)
The Spiritual Body	299	(2)
Sabbath Thoughts	301	(1)
The City Life	302	(1)
Homes for All	303	(1)
Do You Blame Her?	304	(2)
A Woman's Conclusions	306	(3)
Julia Ward Howe: 1819-1910	309	(44)
Introduction	311	(8)
Poems	319	(34)
Battle-Hymn of the Republic	319	(1)
Our Orders	320	(1)
The New Exodus	321	(1)
The Question	322	(1)
The First Martyr	323	(2)
April 19	325	(1)
Requital	326	(1)
The Battle-Eucharist	327	(1)
Left Behind	327	(1)
Harvar Student's Song	328	(1)
"Save the Old South!"	329	(1)
Outside the Party	330	(1)
The Soul-Hunter	331	(2)
At a Corner	333	(1)
The Fine Lady	333	(2)
The Black Coach	335	(1)
Contrasts	336	(1)
Amanda's Inventory	337	(1)
Lyke lake	338	(1)
Bargains	338	(1)
The Charitable Visitor	339	(1)
A Thought for Washing Day	340	(1)
Of Woman	341	(2)
Woman	343	(1)
The Rough Sketch: Samuel Gridley Howe	344	(1)
To My Master	345	(1)
The Royal Guest	345	(1)
The Tea-Party	346	(1)
A Visit to C.H.	347	(2)
Sybil	349	(1)
Mother Mind	350	(1)
An Apology: For a Warm Word Spoken	351	(2)
Emily Dickinson: 1830-1886	353	(26)
Introduction	355	(8)
Poems	363	(16)
Success is counted sweetest	363	(1)
My Life had stood-a Loaded Gun-	363	(1)
It feels a shame to be Alive-	364	(1)
My Triumph lasted till the Drums	365	(1)
Victory comes late-	365	(1)
It always felt to me-a wrong	366	(1)
I took my Power in my Hand-	367	(1)
Four Trees-upon a solitary Acre-	367	(1)
I saw no Way-The Heavens were stitched-	368	(1)
Title divine, is mine	368	(1)
I'm "wife"-I've finished that-	368	(1)
A solemn thing-it was-I said-	369	(1)
I meant to have but modest needs-	369	(1)
Severer Service of myself	370	(1)
He fumbles at your Soul	371	(1)
I would not paint-a picture-	372	(1)
This was a Poet-	373	(1)
The Soul selects her own Society-	373	(1)
Renunciation-is a piercing Virtue-	374	(1)
After great pain, a formal feeling comes-	374	(1)
The Spirit lasts-but in what mode-	375	(1)
I am afraid to own a Body-	375	(1)
Ended, ere it begun-	376	(1)
Prayer is the little implement	376	(1)
The Martyr Poets-did not tell-	376	(1)
I'm Nobody! Who are you?	377	(2)
Helen Fiske Hunt Jackson: 1830-1885	379	(28)
Introduction	381	(6)
Poems	387	(20)
Two Truths	387	(1)
A Woman's Battle	387	(1)
Found Frozen	388	(1)
In Time of Famine	389	(1)
Memoir of a Queen	389	(1)
Her Eyes	390	(1)
A Rose Leaf	390	(1)
The Loneliness of Sorrow	391	(1)
Renunciation	391	(1)
To an Unknown Lady	392	(2)
The Prince is Dead	394	(1)
Mazzini	395	(1)
The Money-Seekers	395	(1)
No Man's Land	395	(1)
Poppies on the Wheat	396	(1)
Oenone	397	(1)
Mordecai	398	(1)
Esther	398	(1)
Vashti	399	(1)
Tribute: R.W.E	399	(1)
Charlotte Cushman	400	(1)
Refrain	401	(1)
The Poet's Forge	402	(1)
My Days	403	(1)
Freedom	404	(1)
Opportunity	404	(3)
Emma Lazarus: 1849-1887	407	(46)
Introduction	409	(8)
Poems	417	(36)
Assurance	418	(1)
Acceptance: Epochs VII	418	(1)
Aspiration: Phantasias II (After Robert Schumann)	419	(1)
Critic and Poet: An Apologue	420	(1)
Life and Art	421	(1)
To R W.E	421	(1)
Progress and Poverty	422	(1)
In the Jewish Synagogue at Newport	422	(2)
The Crowing o the Re Coc	424	(1)
The Banner of the Jew	425	(1)
The Valley of Baca: Psalm LXXXIV	426	(2)
The Guardian of the Red Disk	428	(1)
The World's Justice	429	(2)
The Feast of Lights	431	(1)
Bar Kochba	432	(1)
Donna Clara [Translation from Heine]	433	(3)
Translations from Hebrew Poets of Medieval Spain	436	(1)
Admonition [Yehuda Halevi]	436	(1)
Longing for Jerusalem [Yehuda Halevi]	436	(1)
On the Voyage to Jerusalem [Yehuda Halevi]	437	(1)
A Degenerate Age [Solomon Ben Yehuda Gabirol]	438	(1)
Solomon Ben Judah Gabirol [Moses Ben Esra]	438	(1)
Consolation [Al-Harizi]	439	(1)
By the Waters of Babylon: Prose Poems	439	(2)
The Birth of Man: A Legend of the Talmud	441	(2)
The Supreme Sacrifice	443	(1)
Gifts	443	(2)
In Exile	445	(1)
The New-Year: Rosh-Hashanah, 5643	446	(2)
The Choice	448	(1)
The Venus of the Louvre	449	(1)
The New Ezekiel	449	(1)
1492	450	(1)
The New Colossus	450	(3)
Ella Wheeler Wilcox: 1850-1919	453	(54)
Introduction	455	(6)
Poems	461	(46)
Woman	463	(1)
A Man's Ideal	463	(1)
Womanhood	464	(1)
Sisters of Mine	465	(1)
The Answer	465	(1)
The Women	466	(1)
A Holiday	467	(2)
Successful Man	469	(1)
The Captive	470	(1)
Two Sinners	471	(1)
Two Women	472	(1)
Two Voices	472	(1)
An Unfaithful Wife to Her Husband	473	(3)
Delilah	476	(1)
The Revolt of Vashti	477	(3)
The Creed	480	(1)
The Times	480	(1)
Attainment	481	(1)
The Age of Motored Things	481	(1)
The Hymn of the Republic	482	(2)
Protest	484	(1)
The Protest	485	(1)
Woman and War	485	(2)
War Mothers	487	(2)
Settle the Question Right	489	(1)
What We Want	490	(1)
Friendship After Love	491	(1)
The Younger Born	492	(2)
The Old Stage Queen	494	(1)
Music in the Flat	495	(1)
the Coming Man	496	(2)
The Poet's Theme	498	(1)
Perfectness	499	(1)
The Soul's Farewell to the Body	500	(1)
Misalliance	501	(1)
The Cost	502	(1)
Individuality	503	(2)
Inspiration	505	(1)
The Tiger	506	(1)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman: 1860-1935	507	(56)
Introduction	509	(6)
Poems	515	(48)
Homes: A Sestina	515	(1)
An Old Proverb	516	(1)
She Walketh Veiled and Sleeping	517	(1)
To the Young Wife	518	(1)
An Answer	519	(1)
Six Hours a Day	520	(1)
The Departing Housemaid	521	(1)
Women Do Not Want It	522	(1)
The Modest Maid	523	(2)
Women of To-Day	525	(1)
The Anti-Suffragists	526	(2)
Two Callings	528	(3)
To Mothers	531	(2)
The Housewife	533	(1)
Ode to the Cook	534	(1)
Wedded Bliss	535	(1)
Unsexed	536	(2)
Females	538	(1)
More Females of the Species (After Kipling)	539	(1)
This is a Lady's Hat (a Trio of Triolets)	540	(1)
The Cripple	541	(1)
A Protest	542	(2)
Exiles	544	(1)
Where Women Meet	544	(3)
One Girl of Many Unmentionable	547	(1)
A Social Puzzle	548	(1)
The Holy Stove	549	(1)
Christian Virtues	550	(3)
Another Creed	553	(1)
To Man	554	(1)
To the Preacher	555	(1)
The Real Religion	556	(2)
Body of Mine	558	(1)
Nationalism	559	(1)
Matriatism	559	(1)
The Artist	560	(1)
Lecture Verse [No. 1]	561	(2)
About the Editor	563	(2)
Further Redding	565