“With smoking axle hot with speed, with steeds of fire and steam, Wide-waked To-day leaves Yesterday behind him like a dream. Still, from the hurrying train of Life, fly backward far and fast The milestones of the fathers, the landmarks of the past. But human hearts remain unchanged: the sorrow and the sin, The loves and hopes and fears of old, are to our own akin; And if, in tales our fathers told, the songs our mothers sung, Tradition wears a snowy beard, Romance is always young.”
Quote by John Greenleaf Whittier
Work
Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete Volume I., the Works of Whittier
This volume brings together a selection of narrative and legendary poems from the broader body of work by John Greenleaf Whittier, a prominent 19th-century American poet known for his involvement in the abolitionist movement and his evocative depictions of New England life. The poems in this collection are characterized by their storytelling quality, often drawing on historical events, local legends, and moral themes. As the first complete volume of Whittier's narrative and legendary verse, it offers readers a focused look at this aspect of his literary output, reflecting the poet's skill in blending poetic form with engaging tales. more
Author
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an American poet known for his sympathy towards the working class and his advocacy for social justice. His poetry extensively covered social, political, and moral issues, profoundly influencing American literature in the 19th century. more