A Psalm of Life

POEM
Henry Wordsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), the great American poet, was a professor at
Harvard. His great fame began with the publication of his first volume of poems Voices
of the Night in 1839, which included A Psalm of Life, one of nineteenth centurys bestloved poems. His other collections include Ballads (1841), Evangeline (1847), Hiawatha
(1855), The Courtship of Miles Standish (1858) and Tales of a Wayside Inn (1863).
Longfellow was the most popular poet of his age and during his lifetime he became a
national institution. His work was musical, mildly romantic, high-minded, and flavoured
with sentimental preachment (Norton Anthology of American Literature).
This poem seems to give a great deal of good advice. It tells the reader not to waste
his/her time but to be up and going; not to be discouraged by failures but to have a heart
for any fate; not to judge life by temporary standards but to look to eternal.
What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist
Appreciation Questions
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.

Explain: Mournful numbers?

Mournful numbers means Sad Songs.

2.

How does the poet look upon life?

The poet has an optimistic view on life

3.

Is life an empty dream?

No. Life is not an empty dream

4.

Who is the speaker?

The poet, H.W. Longfellow is the speaker.

5.

What do you mean by mournful numbers?

Mournful numbers mean sad song.

6.

Why do some people say that life is an empty dream?

As their longing and desires are not fulfilled always, they say so.

.7.

Whose soul is dead?

The soul of the man that sleeps or inactive is dead.

8.

Things are not what they seem Explain.

In our real life, things happen contrary to our desires and longings.

9.

Why do people complain life as an empty dream?

People complain so because of their dead and inactive soul.

10.

What does the poet say about life?

Life is not an empty dream. It is real.

Life is real! Life is earnest! 5

And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
.1.

How is life to be viewed?

Life is to be viewed seriously and with a positive attitude

2.

Why is life real?

Life is real because it is deathless.

3.

What is not the end of life?

Death is not the end of life.

4.

Who does thou refer to?

Thou refers to the mortal man.

5.

Why does the poet refer to man as dust?

Human beings are referred to dust because the first man Adam was made of clay.

6.

Grave is not its goal Why?

Human soul is immortal. Therefore grave is not the goal of life.

7.

Where do you human beings go at last?

They go back to the dust at last.

8.

What journey is talked about there?

The journey of life is talked about here.

9.

Who is dust?
All human beings are the dust

10.

What does grave refer to?

Grave refers to death.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way; 10
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
1.

What journey is being talked about here?

The journey of life being talked about here.

2.

What do these lines reveal about the mindset of the speaker?

We should act in the present with the hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

3.

What is our destined end or way?

Getting free from all enjoyments and sorrows is our destined end.

4.

How should we act?

We should act aiming at progress in all possible ways.

5.

What should be our hope in life?

We should hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

6.

When should we act?

We should act to day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating 15
Funeral marches to the grave.
1.

What are sounding like muffled drums?

The human heart beats are sounding like muffled drums.

2.

Why do our hearts beat like muffled drums?

Our hearts beat like muffled drums because of the failures and discouragement in life.

3.

Why is art long?

Art is permanent therefore it is long.

4.

Why is life short?

The life span of human being is limited and so life is short

In the worlds broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife! 20
1.

What is the world compared to?

The world is compared to the battle field.

2.

What is life compared to?

Life is compared to a temporary camp.

3.

What is meant by bivouac?

Bivouac means the temporary camp made by soldiers.

4.

How should men not be?

Men should not be life dumb driven cattle.

5.

What is the poets advice to man?

The poet advises man to face the challenge in life like a hero

6.

What is meant by Strife?

Strife means struggle.

Trust no Future, hower pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God oerhead!
1.

Why should we not trust future?

We should not trust our future because it is uncertain.

2.

Should we be proud of our past?

No. we should neither be proud of our past nor worry about the past failures.

3.

What is the advice of the poet here?

The poet advises us to act vigorously in the present, ignoring the past or future.

4.

Why is the word, Act repeated

The word act is repeated because it is the urgent need today.

5.

How should one act?

One should act confidently having trust in God.

6.

Why is the P in Past capitalised?

The word Past is personfied. So it is capitalised.

Lives of great men all remind us 25

We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
1.

What do lives of great men remind us all?

Lives of greatmen remind us all that we too can become great like them.

2.

What kind of life should we lead?

We should lead a sublime life.

3.

Who will leave the foot prints?

Great men will leave the foot prints.

4.

Where do greatmen leave their foot prints?

Greatmen will leave the foot prints.

5.

Where do greatmen leave their foot prints?

Greatmen leave their foot prints on the sands of time.

6.

What do foot prints denote?

Foot prints denote the ideals of life

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing oer lifes solemn main, 30
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

1.

Who will the foot prints guide?

The foot prints will guide the men in crisis.

2.

What is life compared to here?

Life is compaed to a dull sea here.

3.

Who is a forlorn and shipwrecked brother?

The lonely sad youth is a forlorn and shipwrecked brother.

4.

Take heart again what does, the phrase mean?

Take heart again means gaining confidence in life

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing, 35
Learn to labor and to walk.
H W Longfellow
1.

What is the message for the youth in this line?

The youth should learn to labour (do hardwork) and be patient till it brings a good result.

2.

What advice does the poet give us here?

The poet advises us to cheer up, having confidence to face the challenges in our life.

3.

What does the world labour signify?

The word labour signifies hard work and it proves H.W. Longfellow to be a typical American poet.

4.

What should we do?

We should work hard and walk steadfast.

5.

What should we learn?

We should learn to labour