How She Felt in Her First Corset, and Other Poems

"How She Felt in Her First Corset, and Other Poems" by Matthew W. Alderson is a compilation of late 19th-century poems that capture the emotions and societal views of the era. The poems explore the experience of love, societal norms, and the transition from youth to adulthood. Alderson's poems reveal the nuances of human emotion, especially concerning love and the dreams of women, during a time of strong traditional values. The collection begins with a poem that tells of a young girl's internal and external conflict as she confronts the expectations of society, shown using a corset as a key metaphor. The anthology then spans a variety of love perspectives, from deep declarations of love to more reasonable views on wealth and partnerships. The poems come together to reflect on the complex issues of love, human relationships, and the quest for happiness through humor and raw emotion in Alderson's verses.