"A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The nineteenth century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is occasionally mentioned in several of the BryonySeries books because the mother of character Henry Matthews is fond of Longfellow's poetry.

One poem, the poem below, is featured in its entirety in "Bryony", when Melissa Marchellis' English teacher Harold Masters recites it from memory in class.

I recently encountered this poem for the first time in many years, and I was struck by how each line of the poem, well, struck me, during this recent re-read - and made me ponder and reflect.

Since many of us aren't reading Longfellow these days and even less of us have (or had) teachers that recited his poems in class, I'm sharing this poem with you today.

It's one of those poems where you can read it at face value the first time and then return to it later for another read, a slower read, and gain fresh insight.

Enjoy!

"A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)

This poem is featured in "Bryony"

What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist

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.

A Rainy, Successful Weekend

"Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary."

This poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is very BryonySeries since the mother of Henry Matthews loved Longfellow and often quoted the above line.

But although the artists row at New Orleans North was rained out three hours into the event due to a sudden and turbulent storm, and although rain periodically fell hard during Stuff on Bluff the following day with sparse foot traffic, neither event was "dark and dreary," only the skies.

We experienced plenty of kindness, from the organizers to our fellow artists, who worked together on Friday night to ensure everyone's safety and minimal loss of product.

We experienced plenty of smiles. Not one person left our booth without feeling good about stopping there, our main goal - always.

This isn't a compensatory attitude for poor sales. Because sales were good (twenty books, twenty-five mystery quotes, three shirts), and - for the first time - we sold across all subgenres in the BryonySeries over the two events. 

We also sold one "Nine Months of Kindness."

Because of the rain, we packed up most items in Jasmine's nylon backpacks with out logo as our gift to our customers.

And this Saturday, the weather will not matter for Bertrand's Back-To-School Birthday Bash, since the event will be inside. Doesn't the thought of singing "Happy Birthday" to a crocheted mouse make you smile?

Happy Tuesday!

"Decoration Day" By Henry Wadworth Longfellow

Two of the characters in the fourth installment of Before The Blood and one in Bryony are fond of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poetry and, from time to time, quote from it.

Longfellow was a founder of the U.S. magazine The Atlantic. He wrote "Decoration Day" in 1882 about the holiday, which held its first national on May 5, 1868 to honor those who had died in the Civil War.

Decoration Day later expanded to Memorial Day and included anyone who died in the service of the U.S. Until 1970, Memorial Day was held on May 30.

In 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday and is now observed on the last Monday of May. 

Many people don't know this, but Americans, wherever they are and whatever they are doing, are supposed to take a minute of silence at 3 p.m. and remember those who died in military service to the U.S.

"Decoration Day"

By Henry Wadworth Longfellow

Sleep, comrades, sleep and rest

  On this Field of the Grounded Arms,

Where foes no more molest,

  Nor sentry's shot alarms!

Ye have slept on the ground before,

  And started to your feet

At the cannon's sudden roar,

  Or the drum's redoubling beat.

But in this camp of Death

  No sound your slumber breaks;

Here is no fevered breath,

  No wound that bleeds and aches.

All is repose and peace,

  Untrampled lies the sod;

The shouts of battle cease,

  It is the Truce of God!

Rest, comrades, rest and sleep!

  The thoughts of men shall be

As sentinels to keep

  Your rest from danger free.

Your silent tents of green

  We deck with fragrant flowers;

Yours has the suffering been,
The memory will be ours.

Photo by Timothy Baran