Miss Austen's Examen

A Poem in Celebration of Jane Austen's 248th Birthday

MISS AUSTEN’S EXAMEN

The following lines were inspired by Jane Austen’s prayer, an examination of conscience, a copy of which (as shown in the photograph above) is framed upon the wall at Chawton Cottage, Hampshire, the house Jane Austen shared with her mother, her sister Cassandra, and their friend Martha Lloyd, from 1809 until her death in 1817. The poem was given to my wife, Amy, as a gift, but she has given me leave to share it with you all today, December 16, 2023, in celebration of Jane Austen’s 248th birthday. All the photographs in this post were taken either by myself or by Amy during our visit to Chawton Cottage on August 11, 2023.