The poem “A Psalm of Life” has an appropriate title that calls humanity to pursue righteousness. Essentially, a psalm is sacred hymn or song. In this case, the poem is a quintessentially romantic document that depicts the way a person can seek salvation through the depths of one’s self. The poem is didactic and it guides, instructs, and inspires the reader. The speaker is advising people to be heroes in the own lives and to live in the present times without worrying about the future or the past (Longfellow 1). The poem enlightens readers about how to live their lives. Furthermore, it illustrates and underlines the importance of values, such as patience and courage, in one’s journey to self-actualization. It also challenges people to realize their full potential in life, and encourages one to think beyond the day-to-day chores and focus on achieving greater goals. The poet’s advice is that a person should not be as dumb as cattle (Longfellow 1).
I think that, the poem seeks to inspire people to make their mark in the society while they are still alive. Whether bad or good, one should make their mark so that their legacy can live on in the future. Irrespective of how long one has to wait, an individual should work extremely hard to achieve their dreams.
Furthermore, the straight forwardness as well as the simplicity of the poem ensures that it conveys the overall message to the reader in a vivid manner. The poem makes the reader feel inspired and ready to make a mark in the society. It reminds the reader about the great people who came before them as well as their achievements. The poem also personifies the youth, especially American youth. The poem does not dwell in the past. Instead, it embodies the bright of hopes and aspirations of individuals living in contemporary societies.
Work Cited
Longfellow, Wordsworth. A Psalm of Life (1892). Goodreads. January 1, 2009. Web. March 12, 2016.
