Longfellow\'s Poem \"A Psalm of Life,\" Which

¶ … Longfellow's poem "A Psalm of Life," which was originally published anonymously, John Greenleaf Whittier stated, "It is very seldom that we find an article of poetry so full of excellent philosophy and common sense," (cited by Carpenter, 1903, p. 166). Whittier appreciated Longfellow's poem because of its overt celebration of the human potential, and its advocacy of living with drive, energy, and passion. In the poem, Longfellow makes clear statements like "Be not like dumb, driven cattle!" (line 19). The poet therefore criticizes the pace of life in a modern, industrialized society. Paradoxically, though, the poet urges his readers to set lofty goals, achieve those goals, and leave a legacy. To be a "hero in the strife" means to step away from the madness of the rat race while still achieving great things.

In fact, Longfellow advocates a worldview more akin to Buddhism than to the type of Christianity that characterized the dominant culture of the United States in the nineteenth century. Longfellow exclaims, "act in the living Present!" (line 23). Capitalizing the word "Present" emphasizes how sacred the here-and-how is; which is a philosophy much more akin to Buddhism than Christianity. Christianity is more afterlife focused, as if to suggest that the present world is less worthwhile than what might come next.

At the same time that Longfellow urges a greater appreciation of the present moment, the poet urges his readers to cultivate lofty goals and dreams. The poet ironically suggests to "Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!" And to "Let the dead Past bury its dead," (lines 21-22). The "living present" is equated with the "Heart within," which is also a mystical line. To be fully inside the "Heart within" can be distilled to mean that the best human legacies are left when the person lives most fully and creatively in the here-and-now. There is an ironic emphasis both on the maximization of the present, and the metaphor of leaving "footprints on the sands of time" as a legacy (line 28). The poet urges people to act "that each to-morrow / Find us farther than to-day," suggesting that some attention be paid to the purpose of one's life (lines 11-12). Therefore, Longfellow advocates in "A Psalm of Life" an active, engaged, and creative role rather than one that is passive and complacent.

Life is not an "empty dream," according to Longfellow (line 2). Longfellow points out how sad it is to view life with ennui. Rather, life is "real" and "Life is earnest!" (line 5). The grave, moreover, is "not its goal." The goal is to leave "footprints on the sands of time, " (line 28). Thus, Longfellow resolves the conflict between an advice that seems to suggest living purely for the moment regardless of consequences, and an advice that suggests that one work hard. Longfellow states in the third stanza of the poem: "Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, / Is our destined end or way," (lines 9 and 10). This philosophy of equanimity is also in accordance with Buddhist philosophy, which is why "A Psalm of Life" seems wise and "so full of excellent philosophy and common sense" to Whittier.