Longfellow's Psalm of Life (which can be found at http://www.potw.org/archive/potw232.html) is the most extraordinary poem. What strikes me is that no one in Britain in 2009 could possibly have written it. It has that energetic Victorian era confidence. Now we are more ambivalent, have more self-doubt, see the world as a more complicated place, to be approached more cautiously. But have we lost something if we are no longer able to produce works like this?

What a brilliant poem. I still find it relevant today and I feel sure there is a poem out there, written in this century that reflects Longfellows words. Thanks for that Dave.

Hi Dave,

Inspirational poetry was very popular in these times, and later. The Longfellow you quote here immediately put me in mind of one of the first poems I was ever impressed by - Sir Henry Newbolt's (he of "Drake's Drum" fame) "Vitai Lampada" - or The Torch of Life:

http://www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/newbolt.htm

Later I recall Max Ehrmann's "Desiderata", if I remember correctly this was also released as a single on vinyl (remember those?!)

http://www.poetseers.org/the_great_poets/misc/desid

The only poetry of this type I recall seeing lately is the stuff you find on those "friendship" type greetings cards. I guess Rudyard Kipling's "If" falls into the same category. It would probably be quite difficult to write something similar today, for the reasons you state. Having said that, there's no reason at all why we shouldn't try. Now there's a challenge!

Regards,
A.E.

Hi Dave

Shades of Blake as if written by an accountant (he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity's sunrise etc). Not quite my cuppa, although I'm partial to a bit of Kipling. Sounds a bit too much like my old school song, "Faithful and Strong".

Thanks for coming back, David, Anthony & Val. Your comments are very interesting. Yes it is a bit old school song, but if there was an old school song competition wouldn't it win?

I'd never made the connection with the Desiderata, but that was spot on. Although, in ecclesiastical terms, wouldn't Psalm of Life be rather Anglican, while the Desiderata is more Quaker in its tone? But they are both haunting attempts to see life as a grand enterprise, in which one must never lose sight of the big picture and a spiritual dimension.

Anthony's final comment made me laugh. Maybe WOL admin can pick up on it. What would a 2009 poem which was a worthy successor to Psalm of Life and the Desiderata look like?

Hmmm.

Let's take it on.

You would probably enjoy Mathew Pearl's The Dante Club. It is set in Longfellow's own historical period in Boston, with Longfellow as one of the prime characters. It was a very good read (somewhat gruesome considering the subject matter) about translating Dante's Inferno into English. I wish I hadn't given my copy away. Pearl has also written The Poe Shadow.

Thanks for that Cynthia. The online reviews look good so that is going on the list of books to read. It's for sale second hand on Amazon for £2.76 including postage

How much did Victorian era confidence have to do with the fact that frontiers were being discovered and explored. America had it's 'Wild West'. Africa and Australia were being opened up (looking from the perspective of Europe and America - different reality for the residents). It gave an expansive, energetic feeling of horizons and adventure. Again, what is the modern equivalent? What can we draw that sort of energy from?