His orchards and his maize; forget-me-not
And heart’s-ease, in his garden; and the wild
Aerial blossoms of the untrained wood,
That makes its savagery so home-like; all
Have felt Christ’s sweet Love watering their roots
His Sacrifice has won both Earth and Heaven.”
The “Poems” were well received everywhere, and the reviewers were generally most complimentary. It was seen at once that a real poet, of true inspiration, had taken a permanent place in American literature. The musical modulations of the verse, with its tender lyrical quality, its local New England coloring, and its strong moral sentiment, soon gained her the affections of the people.
The name “Lucy Larcom” was now well known; but, curiously enough, it was not associated with her personality, for it was thought to be a fictitious name, with “Apt alliteration’s artful aid.” A habit common among certain authors of the day was to have such euphonious noms de plume as “Minnie Myrtle,” “Fanny Forrester,” “Grace Greenwood;” and it was natural that “Lucy Larcom” should be classed with them. She often had amusing encounters with strangers about her identity. On the cars one day, a woman changed her seat for one in front of Miss Larcom, and, turning round, put the question, “Are you really Lucy Larcom, the poet? Some one said you were.”
“Yes, that is my name.”
“Then it is not a made-up name? Well, we never thought it was real when we read your pieces; and we thought you were younger.”