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.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
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!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
Voices Of The Night : A Psalm Of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow • 462 poems by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowEdit
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Considered by many to be the most popular American poet of the 19th century, a storyteller, whose works are still cited - or parodied. Longfellow's works ranged from sentimental pieces such as 'The Village Blacksmith' to translations of Dante. Among his most interesting works are Evangeline (1847), a narrative poem of the former French colony of Acadia, echoing such epics as Homer's Odyssey, and the song of Hiawatha (1855), especially noted for its sing-song meter and shamanistic rhythm. Longfellow is considered the first professional American poet. A number of his phrases, such as "ships that pass in the night", "the patter of little feet", and "I shot an arrow into the air", have become a common property.
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By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, © 1837, All rights reserved.
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Editor notes
July 20, 1838. The lyrical form of this poem is abab.
"Mr. Longfellow said of this poem: 'I kept it some time in manuscript, unwilling to show it to any one, it being a voice from my inmost heart, at a time when I was rallying from depression.' Before it was published in the Knickerbocker Magazine, October, 1838, it was read by the poet to his college class at the close of a lecture on Goethe. Its title, though used now exclusively for this poem, was originally, in the poet's mind, a generic one. He notes from time to time that he has written a psalm, a psalm of death, or another psalm of life. The 'psalmist' is thus the poet himself. When printed in the Knickerbocker it bore as a motto the lines from Crashaw:
Life that shall send
A challenge to its end,
And when it comes, say, Welcome, friend."
Literally, the psalmist is of course King David.
13."Ars longa vita brevis est" (an aphorism by Hippocrates).
- i catch my breath anytime I read this poetry. Wadsworth was a genius.Rate this comment
Nice and Inspirational... i've try to analysis this poems last day and want to share with all of you in http://www.psalmoflife.net/analysis/a-psalm-of-life-analysis/
This is part of my analysis :
A Psalm of Life is one of the best-known poems of Longfellow. It has served as one of the most inspirational poems in literature since it was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow, a well loved American poet, is well known for A Psalm of Life and the lessons on life which it illustrates. The primary message or the Subject Matter of the poem, is that “Life is beautiful”. The lyrical lines and inspiring message of the poem has been handed down through the years, bringing hope. Here is a glance -in my point of view-explanation about the poem;
At the 1st stanza, Longfellow wants to tells us that life is not an empty dream, do not waste it out.
“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.”
→even it in a mournful number, life is not an empty dream. Longfellow try to stress his says. He is full of spirit and optimist, he tries to influence readers to feel the way he feel by read this poem.Rate this comment
For guest sekar
Although I prefer the poets own words in full; there is sometimes a benefit to be gained from reading the impressions of others so please feel free to paraphrase the poem yourself and add it here as a comment.
Jim- If you can pass on some actual words or (preferably) phrases that your father recited then the search would be a little easier.
Jim
Oldpoetry Research Team Searching for a poem
From guest John S (contact)
My Father has on two occasions recited bits of poetry that he had memorized in the past. I am searching for a poem, I believe by Longfellow, that reflects on living in such a way that dying is like lying down on your favorite sofa with a warm blanket around you. I do not have more than that because it came out of nowhere. My Dad has only recited a poem once before that i can remember but this one is obviously important to him. Can you help me find it?for Anna
'Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again. '
I read this as someone in a similar situation.
Please read the notes underneath the poem and other comments here to help give you a clearer picture of the poem and the poets meaning.
Von - Oldpoetry Teamvoices of the night
From guest bart collins (contact)
Ihave an apparent original copy of henry wadsworth longfellow'svoices of the night,arlington edition, published by hurst and company copywrite ??trying to determine value of same- Just came across this poem. It really is extraordinary.
For Guest Tobias Hart
As far as we are aware this is an accurate copy of Longfellow's original published poem. Also as far as we are aware the poem is now in the public domain and so is copyright free.
If you wish to use the poem in print and cite ourselves as well as Longfellow that would be nice and we foresee no legal problems. If you are only quoting the section from the epitaph then it should be absolutely fine.
http://oldpoetry.com/help/search?name=citing
Either way good luck with your research and your publication.
Jim
Oldpoetry Volunteer Research TeamCopy right and text
From guest Tobias Hart (contact)
While doing research on Robert Hart (1777-1867), ancestor of the Hart family of Scottish decent in Southern Africa, I was lead to Longfellow's 'Psalm of Life' via the inscription on the family vault. Probably not the right place to ask, I would nevertheless,like to know it I am allowed to use the text in a publication and, if so, which source should I acknowledge. "Old poetry" seems just fine because their version of the 2nd stanza 3rd verse("dust thou art, to dust returnest") is the same as on the tomb while other internet sources put in another "thou" before "returnest". Please let me know. RegardsFootsteps, on the sands of time
From guest alex (contact)
what does it mean?
MOD MESSAGE
This might help http://oldpoetry.com/board/topic/1492
Jimlife and soul
From guest Judy Gail Krasnow (contact)
I do believe the soul goes on. I want to believe this. I do think we live many lives. I want to believe this. I think the most important thing is to live honestly, with ethics, and to have the courage to stand up for that in which we believe. We'd all like to leave our names in history for others to learn from -- hopefully in a positive light and loving way -- as centuries go on. Not all can do that. If we leave a path that those whom we touch while we are alive can learn from and be inspired by, then our lives have left more behind than simply our existence.Psalm of Life
From guest Dr Edwin Punitham (contact)
A very Godly and inspirational poem from the very heart of the poet, who I believe, believes in a living God, and solely depends upon Him- I presume Wordsworth is saying that Life is a constant battle and the Earth is therefore the battlefield. A bivouac is a temporary shelter and life is also temporary.
We should all try to be effective soldiers in the battle of life by doing good deeds and not just being passive.
A little superficial perhaps but it works for me.
Jim - From guest bibi (contact)
In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, i want to know what tht means Im new to this
From guest Brandon (contact)
Im very new to poetry and literature, in school i usually just pass it off because its hard for me to understand the language that is used. But as i go i have started to understand more and more and reread things i don't understand. I don't quite understand the entire meaning of this poem yet but i get the main idea of it. I have found poems like this to be quite inspiring and beautiful despite my lack of complete understanding. Im hoping to begin an interest in literature like this soon."foot prints on the sands of time"
From guest Lowell Ericsson (contact)
I have always admired this poem, but it does contain a mixed metaphor. "Sands of Time" generally refers to sand in an hour glass. "Footprints on the sands" refers to a sand beach. Very clever Mr. LongfellowSummary/substance
From guest Rajesh Limbu (contact)
Sumarry/substance of the poem
MOD MESSAGE
http://oldpoetry.com/board/topic/1492
Jimthe present
From guest Sophia (contact)
This is a calling to all those sleeping hearts who find themselves in limbo. Wake Up!- From guest Jason (contact)
This poem is sooooo gay! i dont like it . my teacher let me memorize it . and i cant, soo gay ! too bad many like it .. sooo like if i cant defeat them join them 2 THUMBS UP <3 - From guest elisha (contact)
the poem talks about life.. that our lives will end..soon.. but even if we already know this reality, we still need to pursue our dreams, live our life to the fullest.. ?>SAiVoices Of The Night : A Psalm Of Life
From guest Donna O'Neal (contact)
What value do dreams have that sit on shelves and wait for someday? No one inspired another without working to do something. "Someday" will never come. Life starts when you follow your heart and work at making your dreams come true. Otherwise, the sands of time will have no marks to show you even existed. Be fierce! Step down hard and leave a mark!- I feel that night is used as a metaphor. When everything around looks gloomy and dark, when all our attempts seem somehow how lead us nowhere, when we only see the dark clouds but not their silver lining, we lose faith , we lose confidence in our inner voice that led us thus far.
It is the time that our core faith is put to its acid test.
it is the time that we need to gather ourselves together and keep our focus.
If we can shed the mundane temptations that somehow get tagged to our long term goals (and weigh us down for the same reason when material success is not at a perceptible distance) we continue to attend to the testing times with equal poise as before and can reach the ultimate goal.
These lines are best described in:
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
There can't be a better inspirational and motivational words than that spring within you and shore you up.
Message of life , near to death
From guest Ali ahemd (contact)
The poem refers to intellectual personality , can understand the life is near to be end, day after another.A Psalm of Life
From guest Dr. Rohini Kr. Baruah (contact)
A song of eternal truth that touches the heart of millionsmotivating theme
From guest ashu sharma bhardwaj (contact)
the poem has a motivational message which is relevant in today's fast flying life alsoAn inspiration
From guest Louise Woods (contact)
I memorized the part about "Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and departing leave behind us footprints on the sands of time." as a teen, and it still inspires me and reminds me that we all can make a difference, through acts large and small.- From guest ragi maye (contact)
The poem was amazing doing a paper on it a psalm of life
From guest aroosa (contact)
it inspired me in many ways.the poem gave many solutions for almost all kind of problems.IT REALLY IS A GUIDER IN LIFEi feel awe with the message
From guest tart lee (contact)
I have discovered that life is a gift. Everytime we wake up in the morning is a new challenge to discover the beauty of it. Life is not just of sorrows and pains but of finding meaning, purpose and destiny of each experience. The best thing I have discovered is that life is a song of God; a song of the finest words of love from our Creator.i love the poem
From guest mavis (contact)
i love this poem so much most especially this part BE NOT LIKE DUMB DRIVEN CATTLE,BE A HEROE IN THE STRIFE. this just encourages everyone not to sit there and listen to what other people aRE saying.We have to make a move also. Don't just go with the flow.You have to search for the right path and be the one to show that to everyone else.- From guest nathan raunela (contact)
some poetry is alright, this poem in paticular isnt too good in my opinion. i believe this poem is referring to death and how we shouldnt live with just death as a life goal. i think it also talks about how we should not just flow with the crowd but to stand out in "lifes broad field of battle". this poem i think also makes reference to not wasting life due to the quote "And our hearts, though stout and brave, "Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave." i believe this quote is talking about how with each beat of our heart we are coser to the grave, such as a funeral procession proceeding to the gravesite. my favorite line in the poem is "Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!" this quote really meant something to me. that we should not be hearded in life but that we should make something out of it, and be a leader, a hero. English Homework...
From guest Michael B. Gaus II (contact)
When I first read this poem I first thought it was about death since he talked about people leaving their footprints behind them after death. Then I read it a second time and realized that he was sending a message that says live everyday as if it were you last, also don't live in the past nor the future, and live everyday one at a time and love every second of it, and also live for the moment.- From guest Waylan (contact)
I don't like poetry. I never have. But this poem really "spoke" to me. This is a perfect example of how I think everyone should live life: not waiting for things to happen, not waiting for your goals to come to you. Go towards them, and don't let anything stop. My favorite line was "...Be not like dumb, driven cattle. Be a hero in the strife!" My translation of this is "Be the leader in hard times. Don't be the follower. This is a poem I'm going to remember for a long time. My reaction
From guest Sam cohen (contact)
My reaction to this poem is that it calls to me carpe diem. I feel this way because when Longfellow says things such as " life is real! Life is earnest" I feel that he is saying live your life tonthe fullest. But he doesn't just say that he also says to be patient through the quote "learn to labor and to wait." Longfellow made this poem for the sole purpose of saying live your life because it is fragile and could end any day. I agree with his poem to the fullest extent.Live with purpose
From guest John N (contact)
I liked "...Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. " This said to me that no matter how bad our problems, our perseverance or triumph over them can be inspiring to others.help?
From guest Rukia (contact)
I have to do this project for Language arts class. and i chose htis poem. I know all the lyrical devices used in this poem, but exactly what kind of effects do they have? i don't think the end rhymes really have an effect, well except for making it easier ot memorize.parallels
From guest Rajan (contact)
This is a great poem. This has been inspiring Americans and many English loving people for nearly two centuries. Authors intentions have been fructified in a big way. "Look to this day"- the poem originally authored in Sanskrit by Kavirathna Kaalidaasa, has been doing the same job since 2 millenniums. In fact the very essence of 'GIITA'-the epic poem has done the job since 5 millenniums. The clouds of depression passing therough human minds are universal and affect every human some time or the other and there is a need for such 'antidepressants'. Inspirational stories, poems, jokes,dramas, speeches are welcome in every language as this avoids the havocs caused by 'drugs'- "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. "
the words are true and are full of meaning. Things are never what they seem. Life is never what it seems. even the simplist of the wall it is never the same. some think that they look at the same thing over and over and they say they seem the same thing but they are always looking at something different something that isn't what it seems. i know i am not making much since here to some but i am making since to myself. lol. basically life is not what it seems. soul
From guest andrea victoria zuniga carias (contact)
this is a sad , but real poem and that what i like of that poetry being true with the soul, and not be afraid of saying i like this!!!hi
From guest sophia (contact)
what literary devices are used in this poem?
MOD MESSAGE
That sounds like YOUR homework question!Longfellow
Longfellow is only telling us that there is a purpose to our existence as human beings. We do not live our lives merely to die and be buried, but hope that there is a greater existence beyond earthly death. Then again, he implies that if we get into the rut of believing that the grave is all we can look forward to, then we cannot possibly enjoy life. It is an original description of clinical depression, don't you think? After all man is an animal who needs a purpose in life and in this case he is telling us that that purpose extends beyond death!- From guest aathmeeya (contact)
it is a very nice poem which can inspire all our lives The meaning
From guest Maria (contact)
I think the poem is nice but I really dont know the meaning it was so deep maybe Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is really a deep writer. but I really hate this poem even though this poem is nice!- From guest fairyyy (contact)
this is a nice and an interesting poem but it is too boring to study it in my class..... by this poem we can learn a very good lesson for our past and future the writing explanation is extremely easy for me because it is an easy and boring poem when the talk comes of studying
- Thank you to that annonymous teacher who set her / his (?) class the exercise of reading and understanding this poem since all the comments made me want to read and understand it as well.
I think the message is fairly simple and could be summed up in Longfellow's own line
Act, — act in the living Present!
I believe he is saying that we are all caught on this one-way-street from cradle to grave and can either plod along mechanically or do our best to live and learn and leave guide-stones and markers for those who follow after us on the same journey.
PS thanks to the members of the class who left comments as well. - From guest Haley Woods (contact)
The poem, "A Psalm of Life", is very inspirational. To me it basically explains how I feel about my life, wrapped up in a poem that I would never be able to write. The stanza that really connected to me the most is "In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!" That just explains me in the long run, I've always hide and followed other people in my life until I went to Tech and decided that I didn't want to follow anymore, I wanted to be a leader, I wanted to inspire others insted of acting like someone who wasn't really me. This poem has really touched me a lot and really gives me hope in my future. even though the poem accuires dying in it and later on it mentions having courage, faith, and hope and being a leader. home work
From guest taylor inkley (contact)
taylor inkley when i first read this poem i wasn't to sure wat i thought about, if i liked it didn't like or what.but then read through the poem a couple of times a little slower and then i started to understand the meaning of this poeom by Mr longfellow. i think that he wrote this poem because at this time in his life he was just taking each day one at a time and was just realy savoring the moment of each and every dayHomework Reveiw
From guest Jake F. (contact)
I didn't really like the Poem. I couldn't see anything. When I read a poem, I look for things that I can Visualize, Clearly. This had plenty of very nice lines, but nothing that stood out to me in particular. Other than that, I found the poem pretty averagte. Ive read deeper, more soul searching poems...I think. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 6.homework
From guest MelanieW (contact)
This poem, "A Psalm of Life", by Longfellow is slightly depressing but almost inspiring in an unusual way. I think it's depressing because it does switch the veiw of a heartbeat meaning life to a more morbid view of your heartbeat becoming the beat of your funeral march. But just a few stanzas later it is hopeful by saying that the footprints you leave behind can inspire another to follow, and give them a new reason to go forward. Also in the last stanza it says "Let us then be up and doing, with a heart for any fate" meaning that you can't just waste your time away because of worrying over what is unknown. The poem is almost saying that death is inevitable, but you have to leave behind something that is not just a pass of time, something that can help another find their way.Homework
From guest Zach C. (contact)
I've got to say, for someone who isn't all that into poetry, I really liked this poem. It has a great message that you should live life to the fullest and to leave an impact while your doing it. My favorite line from the poem would have to be, "And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time;", because I really like the comparison of footprints to the marks we make in history. Overall I'd have to say that this is a pretty awesome poem.Homework
From guest Gabe (contact)
“A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is not about all the things in life that you should do to make your life better but about all the chances that you have and how you will never get them back. When he stated in stanza one that life is but an empty dream he means that life starts clean and every decision will change your success, peoples respect for you, and your overall image. All of those characteristics are determined by what you do and in order for you to make a difference you cannot follow the path that everyone else in life is taking, but create your own and stand out. The first time I read this poem it did not phase me, but the more I read it as I did this assignment I started to see what it meant about how you only get out of life as much as you put into it and how you must act on all your chances because they might not come again. If your actions were great and appreciated by others they will be remembered by other people and inspire them make their own path and have a good life. The first time reading this poem I would have gave it a 1/5 but now that I can understand it better and have thought about it I would be glad to give it a 5/5.Review homework
From guest Nathaniel N (contact)
I think it is an okay poem but I think it is kind of boring. I like the point about life is real not a dream. Also I like how it talks about leaving footprints in the sand of time, it is a good metaphor.- First I'll thank the Mod who posted this poem and added the notes, they were very informative.
Not much else to state: the poem is quite obvious, is pleasing to read, and while the poem's subject may not be original, it still bears repeating...and following...if that is possible.
Plus, he was a Mainer.
homework
From guest jonr (contact)
“A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a poem with a lot of meaning. I would give the poem 4 out of 5 stars if I was to rate it. I love the message it sends in that seize the moment and live life the best as you can. Reading this a second time out of class and really trying to understand what he is saying made this poem just jump out of me. Also, I like the other message about be a leader and not a follower. The way he says that, “Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife”. I love the way he puts that as don’t be a cattle that follows its leader, but be a leader in the battle of life. Life is just a battle to always be better and you can never give up. The whole poem he is giving tips of how to live life to its fullest. The sixth stanza also jumps out at me by saying don’t dwell on the past or just dream about the future, but live life in the present and focus on right now. This poem helps me put life into perspective as by he bluntly says that we are all going to die, but that should not effect the way you live except for you should know that one day that will come and hopefully looking back you are happy with the life you lived. After reading this poem for a second time I really started to appreciate it more. From reading this poem I hope I will be able to remember to live life to its fullest and not dwell on the past but live for the present.A great poem to remember
From guest skye (contact)
I think this is a great poem and very well thoght out.I doing a project one this poem and it is the best one I've read all day.longfellow vs. God 2
From guest jimmy (contact)
I don't think that longfellow was contradicting the teachings of god or the bible in this poem. i think he is just saying that you should seize the opporunities that come your way, and make the most of the time that you have on earth. Then again i know nothing about poetry and don't care to so i could be misinterpreting the message.Longfellow vs. God
From guest Brittany (contact)
I'm doing a paper on Longfellow vs. God and if this poem contradicts the bible. which in this case i dont think it does, but i also dont think we should live by it,guest Diane. If there is anything to live by it should not be a worthless poem, but something that will last like the bible, im not saying religon, but i am saying having a relationship with God the creator of the universe just like longfellow created this poem so God created us and shouldnt we thank him for it. I have nothing against the poem and think it is extraordinary, but living be it i dont agree."Ars longa, vita brevis"
From guest Bruce Francis Kennedy (contact)
It is unlikely that Hippocrates attached the meaning to this aphorism that is commonly accepted as "conventional wisdom" (and repeated by Longfellow in his poem), namely, that the works of art are long enduring, outlasting the life of man which is short. It is rather more probable that Hippocrates meant that a long time is required to acquire the "art" (or technique, which is one of the meanings of "techne", the Greek word in the original) of a craft (such as medicine), and that the span of life within which one can acquire it is short. Anyone who has ever undertaken to master the art (skill, craft, technique) of a profession knows the more probable meaning of the aphorism that Hippocrates intended to attach to it.IT'S WHAT LIFE IS REALLY.....
From guest Victor (contact)
I am a student from the nineth grade & have this poem for my exam. First of all this poem has a very true meaning. It had a gr8 impact on my life. Sir H.W. Longefellow's veiws on life are absolutely correct. I look farward to follow this poem...........
