Okay, not a poem about Mrs. Ramsay. But a poem that immediately popped into my head when we were discussing her motherhood and the space of refuge she tries to create for her children for as long as she can, even in full awareness of the world’s cruelty. A lot of you have probably read it but I wanted to bring it in anyway just in case some people haven’t! It’s called “Good Bones” by Maggie Smith.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/89897/good-bones
A Mrs. Ramsay Poem
TEARS
WOAH. Powerful. This captures Mrs. Ramsey perfectly — she is the protector, of her children and of her husband. Which is really interesting, because the quality of “protector” is generally seen as a masculine trait. But really, Mrs. Ramsey is the strongest, most powerful character in this book. Everyone else relies on her to shield them from the world. This poem totally captures that.