An Empty Crib by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of maternal grief and loss. A mother mourns the death of her infant, lamenting the empty crib that was once filled with life. The speaker describes the crib as a symbol of hope and promise, now rendered useless by the child's passing. The poem conveys the intense emotional pain of losing a child, highlighting the mother's sense of despair and desolation.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1885 · Genre: Poetry, Tragedy, Lyrical · 175 words
First lines
Beside a crib that holds a baby's stocking, / A tattered picture book, a broken toy, / A sleeping mother dreams that she is rocking / Her fair-haired cherub boy.
Upon the cradle's side her light touch keeping, / She gently rocks it, crooning low a song; / And smiles to think her little one is sleeping, / So peacefully and long.
Step light, breathe low, break not her rapturous dreaming, / Wake not the sleeper from her trance of joy, / For never more save in sweet slumber-seeming / Will she watch o'er her boy.
God pity her when from her dream Elysian / She wakes to see the empty crib, and weep; / Knowing her joy was but a sleeper's vision, / Tread lightly -- let her sleep.
What this Textopian page supports
An Empty Crib is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1885 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Tragedy, Lyrical, Drama, Sentimental
- Length: 175 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for An Empty Crib by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- A Burial by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Only A Glove by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Loves Burial by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Wanted A Little Girl by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Before And After by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Good Bye by James Whitcomb Riley
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Tragedy — The themes revolve around loss and sorrow, particularly the death of a child.
- Lyrical — The writing style is highly emotive and personal, focusing on the inner feelings of the mother.
- Drama — The narrative involves intense emotional experiences and dramatic elements.
Tags
Poetry · Christmas · Holiday · Family · Motherhood · Loss · Grief · Sorrow · Emotional · Heartfelt · Nostalgic · Reflective