The Belfry of Bruges
At dawn, a speaker stands atop the belfry in Bruges and hears chimes that summon imagined scenes of Flanders's rulers, merchants, pageants, and battles. Drums and the waking city's noise dispel these visions, and he discovers that hours have passed.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Historical Poetry, Narrative Poetry · 577 words
First lines
In the market-place of Bruges stands the belfry old and brown; / Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilded, still it watches o'er the town.
As the summer morn was breaking, on that lofty tower I stood, / And the world threw off the darkness, like the weeds of widowhood.
Genres
- Historical Poetry — The belfry's chimes prompt visions of named Flemish rulers, ceremonial pageants, merchants, and battles.
- Narrative Poetry — Rhyming couplets follow a speaker's dawn visit, the historical visions summoned by the bells, and his return to awareness of the waking city.
Tags
Flanders · belfries · bells · historical visions · dawn
What this Textopian page supports
The Belfry of Bruges is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Poetry, Narrative Poetry
- Length: 577 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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