Hi friends !!! Today I am going to share the beautiful poem by the famous American poet H.W.Longfellow.The Poem is called "A Psalm of Life" In this poem he motive our hearts to struggle and brave the life. He advised to leave our footprints that will inspire future generation to achieve their goals.This poem was also included in the TNPSC General English paper. So i would like to share here for your references.
Thank you!!!
A Psalm of Life
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.
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.
H.W Longfellow
| S.No | Hard Words | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | psalm | song or poem |
| 2 | numbers | Poetic meters , rhythms |
| 3 | mournful | sad |
| 4 | slumbers | sleep(aimlessly spend time) |
| 5 | destined end | goal |
| 6 | fleeting | passing/brief |
| 7 | stout | strong |
| 8 | muffled | not easy to hear |
| 9 | the bivouac of life | simple temporary camp made by soldiers |
| 10 | forlon | lonely and sad |
| 11 | strife | struggle |
| 12 | take a heart again | gaining confidence in life |
| 11 | labour | hard work |
| 12 | sublime | noble |
Figures of speech
Metaphor
Life is but an empty dreams!
For the soul is dead that slumbers
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
In the world's broad field of battle.
In the bivouac of Life
Funnel marches to the grave
Personification
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Allusion
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul
The Allusion is from "The Bible"
Simile
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Oxymoron
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Life is but an empty dreams!
For the soul is dead that slumbers
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
In the world's broad field of battle.
In the bivouac of Life
Funnel marches to the grave
Personification
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Allusion
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul
The Allusion is from "The Bible"
Simile
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Oxymoron
Still, like muffled drums, are beating