The Sermon of St. Francis
After hearing a soaring lark, St. Francis addresses birds gathered for food at Assisi's convent gate. He urges them to praise God for their plumage, wings, and care; when they scatter singing, he feels peace, though he does not know whether they understood.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Religious Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Nature Poetry · 364 words
First lines
Up soared the lark into the air, / A shaft of song, a winged prayer, / As if a soul, released from pain, / Were flying back to heaven again.
St. Francis heard; it was to him / An emblem of the Seraphim; / The upward motion of the fire, / The light, the heat, the heart's desire.
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The rhymed stanzas present St. Francis preaching gratitude for the Creator's care to birds.
- Narrative Poetry — The verse follows a lark's ascent, the gathering of birds, St. Francis's sermon, and his peace after their departure.
- Nature Poetry — Birdsong, plumage, and flight supply both the opening scene and the concrete subjects of the sermon.
Tags
birds · birdsong · Christianity · preaching · gratitude · divine care
What this Textopian page supports
The Sermon of St. Francis 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: Religious Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Nature Poetry
- Length: 364 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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