XVII.—A PSALM OF LIFE.LONGFELLOW.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born at Portland, Maine, in 1807. He is one of the most popular of living poets.
LONGFELLOW.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born at Portland, Maine, in 1807. He is one of the most popular of living poets.
1. Tell me not, in mournful numbers,Life is but an empty dream!For the soul is dead that slumbers,And things are not what they seem.2. Life isreal! Life isearnest!And the grave isnotits goal;Dust thou art, to dust returnest,Was not spoken of thesoul.3. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,Is our destined[126]end or way,But to act, that each to-morrowFind us farther than to-day.4. Art is long, and time is fleeting;And our hearts, though stout and brave,Still, like muffled[127]drums, are beatingFuneral marches to the grave.5. In the world’s broad field of battle,In the bivouac[128]of life,Be not like dumb, driven cattle!Be a hero in the strife!6. Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant,Let the dead past bury its dead!Act—act in the living Present!Heart within, and God o’erhead.7. Lives of great men all remind us,We can make our lives sublime;[129]And, departing, leave behind usFoot-prints[130]on the sands of time;—8. Foot-prints, that, perhaps, another,Sailing over life’s solemn[131]main,[132]A forlorn[133]and shipwrecked brother,Seeing, shall take heart again.9. Let us, then, be up and doing,With a heart for any fate;Still achieving,[134]still pursuing,[135]Learn to labor, and to wait.
1. Tell me not, in mournful numbers,Life is but an empty dream!For the soul is dead that slumbers,And things are not what they seem.2. Life isreal! Life isearnest!And the grave isnotits goal;Dust thou art, to dust returnest,Was not spoken of thesoul.3. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,Is our destined[126]end or way,But to act, that each to-morrowFind us farther than to-day.4. Art is long, and time is fleeting;And our hearts, though stout and brave,Still, like muffled[127]drums, are beatingFuneral marches to the grave.5. In the world’s broad field of battle,In the bivouac[128]of life,Be not like dumb, driven cattle!Be a hero in the strife!6. Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant,Let the dead past bury its dead!Act—act in the living Present!Heart within, and God o’erhead.7. Lives of great men all remind us,We can make our lives sublime;[129]And, departing, leave behind usFoot-prints[130]on the sands of time;—8. Foot-prints, that, perhaps, another,Sailing over life’s solemn[131]main,[132]A forlorn[133]and shipwrecked brother,Seeing, shall take heart again.9. Let us, then, be up and doing,With a heart for any fate;Still achieving,[134]still pursuing,[135]Learn to labor, and to wait.
1. Tell me not, in mournful numbers,Life is but an empty dream!For the soul is dead that slumbers,And things are not what they seem.
1. Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
2. Life isreal! Life isearnest!And the grave isnotits goal;Dust thou art, to dust returnest,Was not spoken of thesoul.
2. Life isreal! Life isearnest!
And the grave isnotits goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of thesoul.
3. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,Is our destined[126]end or way,But to act, that each to-morrowFind us farther than to-day.
3. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined[126]end or way,
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
4. Art is long, and time is fleeting;And our hearts, though stout and brave,Still, like muffled[127]drums, are beatingFuneral marches to the grave.
4. Art is long, and time is fleeting;
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled[127]drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
5. In the world’s broad field of battle,In the bivouac[128]of life,Be not like dumb, driven cattle!Be a hero in the strife!
5. In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac[128]of life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
6. Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant,Let the dead past bury its dead!Act—act in the living Present!Heart within, and God o’erhead.
6. Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant,
Let the dead past bury its dead!
Act—act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead.
7. Lives of great men all remind us,We can make our lives sublime;[129]And, departing, leave behind usFoot-prints[130]on the sands of time;—
7. Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime;[129]
And, departing, leave behind us
Foot-prints[130]on the sands of time;—
8. Foot-prints, that, perhaps, another,Sailing over life’s solemn[131]main,[132]A forlorn[133]and shipwrecked brother,Seeing, shall take heart again.
8. Foot-prints, that, perhaps, another,
Sailing over life’s solemn[131]main,[132]
A forlorn[133]and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
9. Let us, then, be up and doing,With a heart for any fate;Still achieving,[134]still pursuing,[135]Learn to labor, and to wait.
9. Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving,[134]still pursuing,[135]
Learn to labor, and to wait.
[126]Des’-tin-ed, fated; appointed.[127]Muf’-fled, covered; wrapped up.[128]Biv’-ouac(biv’-wak), encampment without tents; a watching.[129]Sub-lime’, lofty; grand.[130]Foot-prints, impression of the foot.[131]Sol’-emn, grave; serious.[132]Main, open sea; ocean.[133]For’-lorn, forsaken; helpless.[134]A-chiev’-ing, performing; doing.[135]Pur-su’-ing, following up.
[126]Des’-tin-ed, fated; appointed.
[126]Des’-tin-ed, fated; appointed.
[127]Muf’-fled, covered; wrapped up.
[127]Muf’-fled, covered; wrapped up.
[128]Biv’-ouac(biv’-wak), encampment without tents; a watching.
[128]Biv’-ouac(biv’-wak), encampment without tents; a watching.
[129]Sub-lime’, lofty; grand.
[129]Sub-lime’, lofty; grand.
[130]Foot-prints, impression of the foot.
[130]Foot-prints, impression of the foot.
[131]Sol’-emn, grave; serious.
[131]Sol’-emn, grave; serious.
[132]Main, open sea; ocean.
[132]Main, open sea; ocean.
[133]For’-lorn, forsaken; helpless.
[133]For’-lorn, forsaken; helpless.
[134]A-chiev’-ing, performing; doing.
[134]A-chiev’-ing, performing; doing.
[135]Pur-su’-ing, following up.
[135]Pur-su’-ing, following up.