Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Poems

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a famed poet and educator. His poetry collections include Voices of the Night and Ballads and Other Poems. They contained some of his most famous poems, including ‘The Song of Hiawatha.’ Most of his poetry is lyrical but readers shouldn’t be surprised to find a wide variety of forms in his work. Read more about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Hiawatha’s Childhood

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘Hiawatha’s Childhood’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes how the protagonist of ‘The Song of Hiawatha’ grew up and learned about his surroundings. It also focuses on the life of his grandmother.

This poem is an excerpt from a much longer, epic poem that is widely regarded as Longfellow's masterpiece. This is not the best-known section of the poem but it does demonstrate the style of the entire piece and Longfellow's use of language and structure.

A Day of Sunshine

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In ‘A Day of Sunshine’ by Henry Wadsworth, Longfellow uses imagery to celebrate nature. It reminds the reader to take advantage of these special moments when they come.

A Psalm of Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘A Psalm of Life’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a thoughtful poem about life’s struggles. The poet addresses the best way to confront these difficulties on an everyday basis.

Afternoon in February

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘Afternoon in February’ by Longfellow is a poem that explores profound sadness, and, more notable, the way that people can see their sadness in every aspect of life when the feeling is strong enough.

My Lost Youth

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘My Lost Youth’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a lyric meditating upon the poet’s youthful days. It was a glorious time of his life when he was as fresh as dew and as energetic as sea tides.

Snow-flakes

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘Snow-flakes’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a graceful and melodic poem that describes a snowfall as the sky sharing and shedding its grief. 

Song

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘Song’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is made up of a speaker’s plea that his “heart” remain indoors and avoid the brutal real world.

The Arrow and the Song

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘The Arrow and the Song’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is an interesting poem that utilizes quatrains. Throughout the piece, the speaker alludes to the unknown impact of his poetry before finding it in the heart of his friend in the last stanza.

The Builders

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘The Builders’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes how a nation is built from the contributions of each and every individual of the country. The people from both the past and present collectively work for a nation’s advancement.

The Harvest Moon

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘The Harvest Moon’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes the way that the light of the harvest moon touches everything. It is an indication that fall is here and that winter is on its way. 

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