The Celestial Pilot
The narrator sees a brilliant light approaching over the sea, and his guide identifies an angel whose wings propel a small vessel carrying more than a hundred spirits. The spirits sing a psalm together; the angel makes the sign of the cross over them, they disembark, and he swiftly departs.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Religious Poetry · 486 words
First lines
Purgatorio II. 13-51.
Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The verse follows an approaching light, the recognition of an angel, and the arrival and disembarkation of his passengers.
- Religious Poetry — An angel carries spirits who sing a psalm, while the narrator's guide calls for reverence and the angel makes the sign of the cross.
Tags
angels · spirits · sea voyages · psalms · sign of the cross
What this Textopian page supports
The Celestial Pilot 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: Narrative Poetry, Religious Poetry
- Length: 486 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Celestial Pilot by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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