"Hope" is the thing with feathers--
That perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without the words--
And never stops—at all--
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard--
And sore must be the storm--
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm--
I've heard it in the chillest land--
And on the strangest Sea--
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
That perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without the words--
And never stops—at all--
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard--
And sore must be the storm--
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm--
I've heard it in the chillest land--
And on the strangest Sea--
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
Emily liked using metaphors and similes in her poems quite often.
In this poem Emily compared "hope" to a "bird" which is a metaphor. Whatever is being said to the bird, also applies to hope.
Stanza one
In the first stanza Emily says that hope is always in our soul, and that it's something one can never lose. The bird's continuous song represents eternal hope that never dies, and is always within the roots of our soul.
Stanza two
describes the bird's song of hope as sweetest in the wind. It conjures up images of a bird's song of hope whistling above the sound of gale force winds and offering the promise that soon the storm will end. The next three lines to metaphorically describe what a person who destroys hope feels like. A person who destroys hope with a storm of anger and negativity feels the pain they cause in others.
Stanza Three
"I've heard it in the chillest lands," Emily offers the reader another reason to have hope. It is heard even in the coldest, saddest lands. Hope is eternal and everywhere. The birds song of hope is even heard "And on the strangest sea." Hope exists for everyone.
In the last two lines, Emily informs us that the bird of hope asks for no favor or price in return for its sweet song. Hope is a free gift. Which exists for all of us. All we must do is not clip the wings of hope and let it fly and sing freely. Its song can be heard over the strangest seas, coldest lands, and in the worst storms. It is a song that never ends as long as we do not let it.
In this poem Emily compared "hope" to a "bird" which is a metaphor. Whatever is being said to the bird, also applies to hope.
Stanza one
In the first stanza Emily says that hope is always in our soul, and that it's something one can never lose. The bird's continuous song represents eternal hope that never dies, and is always within the roots of our soul.
Stanza two
describes the bird's song of hope as sweetest in the wind. It conjures up images of a bird's song of hope whistling above the sound of gale force winds and offering the promise that soon the storm will end. The next three lines to metaphorically describe what a person who destroys hope feels like. A person who destroys hope with a storm of anger and negativity feels the pain they cause in others.
Stanza Three
"I've heard it in the chillest lands," Emily offers the reader another reason to have hope. It is heard even in the coldest, saddest lands. Hope is eternal and everywhere. The birds song of hope is even heard "And on the strangest sea." Hope exists for everyone.
In the last two lines, Emily informs us that the bird of hope asks for no favor or price in return for its sweet song. Hope is a free gift. Which exists for all of us. All we must do is not clip the wings of hope and let it fly and sing freely. Its song can be heard over the strangest seas, coldest lands, and in the worst storms. It is a song that never ends as long as we do not let it.