<Any Woman – Katherine Tynan
- The poem celebrates the importance of a woman in a family. She is like the pillar, keystone, roof, and wall of the house, meaning without her, the home and family would fall apart.
- The woman gives warmth and care, shown in lines like:
- “I am the fire upon the hearth”
- “I am the light of the good sun”
- “I am the heat that warms the earth”
- The poem highlights a woman’s role in looking after children:
- Children warm their hands at her hearth.
- She is their light of love. Without her care, children could not grow properly.
- She is the bond that keeps the family together, described as: “the twist that holds together / the children in its sacred ring.” No child goes astray.
- She manages the house from floor to roof, arranging walls, boards, curtains, and bedding. She makes the home safe and comfortable.
- The woman protects the family from danger, wind, and snow. She is like the wall and door of the house.
- The poem ends with a prayer-like appeal referencing Jesus:
- “Thou Whom a woman laid in a manger, Take me not till the children grow!”
- This shows that a woman’s care is essential for children’s growth and future.
- Overall, the poem shows that a woman is central, caring, protective, and uniting in the family, performing many important roles that are often unseen. >
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