To Another Woman's Baby
The poem explores the theme of maternal love and jealousy. The speaker describes a situation where another woman's baby is brought to her home, and she is expected to care for it. Despite initial reservations, the speaker finds herself growing attached to the child and feeling a deep sense of maternal love. However, this love soon turns to jealousy as she begins to resent the child's presence in her life and the attention it receives from others. The poem ultimately ends with the speaker acknowledging the destructive power of her own emotions and the harm they may cause to the innocent child.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Sentimental Literature, Elegy · 136 words
First lines
I list your prattle, baby boy, And hear your pattering feet With feelings more of pain than joy And thoughts of bitter-sweet.
While touching your soft hands in play Such passionate longings rise For my wee boy who strayed away So soon to Paradise.
You win me with your infant art; But when our play is o'er, The empty cradle in my heart Seems lonelier than before.
Sweet baby boy, you do not guess How oft mine eyes are dim, Or that my lingering caress Is sometimes meant for _him_.
What this Textopian page supports
To Another Woman's Baby is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 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: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Sentimental Literature, Elegy, Domestic Fiction, Lyrical Poetry
- Length: 136 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Sentimental Literature — The themes revolve around deep emotional experiences, particularly loss and longing.
- Elegy — The poem expresses sorrow and mourning for a deceased child.
- Domestic Fiction — The setting and subject matter focus on home life and familial relationships.
Tags
Poetry · Motherhood · Infidelity · Marriage · Love · Loss · Grief · Sorrow · Regret · Longing · Maternal Love · Heartbreak