Henry W. Longfellow

1807 - 1882 *

nineteenth century American poet

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... [read entire biography]

          Source: Petri Liukkonen

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Look, then, into thine heart, and write! -- Voices of the Night. Prelude.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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. -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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. -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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. -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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! -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time. -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait. -- A Psalm of Life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There is a reaper whose name is Death,
And with his sickle keen
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath,
And the flowers that grow between. -- The Reaper and the Flowers.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The star of the unconquered will. -- The Light of Stars.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Oh, fear not in a world like this,
And thou shalt know erelong,--
Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong. -- The Light of Stars.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Additional searches

Longfellow at Encarta Encyclopedia

Longfellow at Britannica Encyclopedia

Longfellow at Xrefer.com