Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist and poet of the 19th century. Her poetry often reflects themes of family, nature, and moral earnestness, written in a straightforward, accessible style. Biography ↓More ↓

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Louisa May Alcott

From The Short Story Shadow-Children

Little shadows, little shadows Dancing on the chamber wall, While I sit beside the hearthstone Where the red flames rise and fall. Caps and nightgowns, caps and nightgowns, My three antic shadows wear; And no sound they make in playing, For the six small feet are bare. Dancing gayly, dancing gayly, To and fro all together, Like a family of daisies Blown about in windy weather; Nimble fairies, nimble fairies, Playing pranks in the warm glow, While I sing the nursery ditties Childish phantoms love and know.

Biography

An American author born in 1832, Louisa May Alcott is best known for her novel Little Women, but she also produced poetry throughout her career. Her poems frequently draw on personal experience, exploring domestic life, familial bonds, and the natural world. Stylistically, her verse is direct and unadorned, favoring clarity and sincerity over elaborate imagery. Influenced by the Transcendentalist movement—her father, Bronson Alcott, was a prominent figure—her work often conveys a quiet moral seriousness. Although her poetry has been overshadowed by her prose, it remains a notable part of her literary output, reflecting the values and sensibilities of nineteenth-century New England.

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