Friday, September 28, 2012

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 are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
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 sand of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solenm 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.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

20 comments:

  1. This is a strong and powerful poem.When i see poems like this,i know i'm but an amateur.

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    1. Thanks dear.. You ain't an amateur,you are very great also..

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  2. nyccccc! thanks for sharing dear, have a pleasant weekend!

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  3. This is beautiful becqui..and thanks fr visiting my blog.tot I commented on ur last post bt I guess it ended up not showing.glad u could stop by mine..

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    1. Thanks dear for stopping.. I guess it will be network or something..

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  4. I love this poem. This wanna make me start writing poems again. I stopped writing poetry for a while. My favourite lines of the poem are;
    "Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
    And our hearts, though stout and brave,
    Still, like muffled drums, are beating"

    You've got a nice blog. This is my first time here, though.

    www.josephomotayo.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Why did you stop writing? Guess it's time for you to pick up your pen and pad..

      Thanks for visiting and for the compliment..

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  5. Deep. Makes me wanna pick up a pen and write.
    Loving your new background.

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  6. Beautifully and well written with wisdom.
    Tanx fr sharing with us becqui

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  7. Becqui: I just passed on the 'Versatile Blogger Award' to you. Please visit my blog for more details.

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  8. hello becqui, just passed on the versatile blogger award to you also, so visit my blog for more details..
    thanks and xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Wow another award? Mehn I'm the man, sorry the woman..lol

      Thanks dear.. xoxo

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