The Psalm of Life

at 06/26/12 5:12PM
Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes, everyone, Taylor enjoyed getting them!! :O)

Wanted to share this - a friend emailed me this Longfellow poem earlier today, and I just loved it! I had told her a while back that I love hymns with army/battle metaphors of the Church, like "The Army of Our Lord," "Be Strong and Courageous," and others ... she sent this to me saying, "Thought you might enjoy parts of this," and I'm suspecting that's why! :)

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.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~
  • sirtarin
    Nice poem. I like the hymns with battle metaphors, too. =)
    by sirtarin at 06/26/12 9:27PM
  • ryan_s
    Nice poem :-)
    by ryan_s at 06/26/12 10:26PM
  • sirtorin
    I like that poem. Thank you for introducing me to it. =)
    by sirtorin at 06/28/12 2:03PM
  • sallyanne
    Lovely poem!
    by sallyanne at 07/04/12 4:56PM
  • granny
    I too like this poem. "Let us, then be up and doing, with a heart for any fate." Lovely.
    I just read your introspective blog and immediately thought -- my girl, you are just growing up :) Yes, but in the growing includes less of self (that outward joy of talking to others, being an extrovert) and balancing it with a sincere love and concern for others. Within that growing love is now a realization how easy it is to "mess it up" and a tendency to pull back and become overly sensitive about what we say to others. Each one of us has to be willing to take the chance to step on toes while we are learning. It does get easier, but the danger will always be there--especially because very few (including Christians) are willing to have open hearts and lives. If we do not know some of what others have faced or are facing, we must tread softly, yet convey our love, interest and care. And that my girl, requires stepping out there! And God go with you as you study more and more of His love. Less of self and all of Thee.
    by granny at 07/10/12 3:04AM
  • niffer
    hey! thanks for the well wishes! sorry it took me forever to respond to it..lol :D
    by niffer at 07/21/12 9:45PM
  • robynbobm
    One of my favorites!
    by robynbobm at 07/31/12 6:00PM