By Lee A. Zito Anne Bradstreet's "To My Dear Children" is a poem, which she had written for her eight children. The first two lines reveal that the speaker is leaving a book, which is unread, to her children to read when she dies. After the speaker has died, then this book she has left will contain truths about the speaker, which in line four is revealed to be a mother. In line four it …showed first 75 words of 261 total…

…showed last 75 words of 261 total…This creates a smooth flow throughout the poem, as well as a smooth, soothing mood when read as if a mother was saying this to her children. The symbolism of a book can refer to knowledge and information. The speaker obviously wanted her children to read this book and learn the truth about their mother. This truth might possibly be something that cannot be taught or told to them till their mother has passed away.