Search results
The Arrow and the Song. By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew, the sight. Could not follow it in its flight. I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong,
‘The Arrow and the Song’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a short thoughtful poem about the impact of one’s actions, this is seen through the metaphors of an arrow and a song. In the first quatrain of this poem, the speaker describes shooting an arrow into the sky and not knowing where it ended up.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Arrow and the Song” is a beautiful poem about the contrast between an “arrow” and a “song”. This metaphorical piece portrays the “arrow” as a symbol of hatred and enmity. While the “song” is a symbol of amiability and love.
- allpoetry.com
- › Famous poems
- › By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The poem reflects the Romantic era's fascination with nature, imagination, and the power of art. Longfellow's use of metaphor and imagery creates a vivid picture of the arrow and the song, and the juxtaposition of the two highlights the contrasting nature of physical and intangible art forms.
I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke; And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend.
I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke; And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend.
The Arrow and the Song Lyrics I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew, the sight Could not follow it in its flight.
May 13, 2011 · Read, review and discuss the The Arrow and the Song poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Poetry.com.
The Arrow And the Song. I shot the arrow in the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew, the sight. Could not follow it in its flight. I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong,
In this poem, Longfellow compares the arrow to life, and the songs are compared to feelings. Even though songs (feelings) are unseen, they are still real. The arrow could also be compared to negative words shot from our mouths, and the song could be joyful words shared with others.
