A Psalm of Life (1892)

A Psalm of Life is a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1838. The poem is a reflection on the purpose of life and the importance of living it to the fullest. It is divided into nine stanzas, each of which offers a different perspective on life and its meaning.The poem begins by questioning the purpose of life, asking ""What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?"" Longfellow then goes on to argue that life is not meant to be wasted, but rather to be lived with a sense of purpose and meaning.He encourages the reader to ""act, act in the living present"" and to ""let the dead past bury its dead."" He emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and making the most of every opportunity.Throughout the poem, Longfellow draws on religious imagery and references to encourage the reader to live a virtuous life. He speaks of the ""footprints on the sands of time"" and encourages the reader to leave a positive legacy behind.In the final stanza, Longfellow concludes with the famous lines, ""Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time."" These lines serve as a call to action, urging the reader to make the most of their life and leave a lasting impact on the world.Overall, A Psalm of Life is a powerful and inspiring poem that encourages the reader to live a life of purpose and meaning. It is a timeless work that continues to resonate with readers today.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.