The Flesh and the Spirit

“Contemplations” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)

This is one of Bradstreet’s most admired poems; it explores themes similar to those of “The Flesh and the Spirit.” The speaker loves the beauty of the world, which is so great that some have worshipped it: If the sun is so majestic, how much more so must its creator be. She contemplates the sorrows of human life in a sinful world, and states that it is foolish to mistake this world for heaven. Refuting the case made by Flesh in “The Flesh and the Spirit,” the speaker states that even famous people (like kings) are forgotten, in spite of the monuments built in their name. 

“As Weary Pilgrim” by Anne Bradstreet (written 1669, published 1867) 

This poem was not published until nearly two centuries after Bradstreet’s death. Its speaker compares herself to a weary pilgrim; she is old and weighed down with cares and sorrow. She longs for the time, not far off, when she will be at rest in heaven, raised up by Christ—longing that echoes Spirit’s desire for the holy city in “The Flesh and the Spirit.” 

“The Vanity of all Worldly Things” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)