Psalm Of Life

"A Psalm of Life" is a poem written by American writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, often subtitled "What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist". Longfellow wrote the poem not long after the death of his first wife and while thinking about how to make the best of life. It was first published anonymously in 1838 before being included in a collection of Longfellow's poems the next year. Its inspirational message has made it one of Longfellow's most famous poems.

Transcript

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.

Thus 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,

However 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.