To the Stork by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The speaker welcomes a stork bringing signs of spring and invites it to rest on the roof and nest in the ash-tree. Confiding sorrow to the bird, the speaker recalls how its departure was followed by withering winds, dark skies, and snow and frost that covered the meadow and garden.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Nature Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 255 words
First lines
Welcome, O Stork! that dost wing / Thy flight from the far-away! / Thou hast brought us the signs of Spring, / Thou hast made our sad hearts gay.
Descend, O Stork! descend / Upon our roof to rest; / In our ash-tree, O my friend, / My darling, make thy nest.
To thee, O Stork, I complain, / O Stork, to thee I impart / The thousand sorrows, the pain / And aching of my heart.
When thou away didst go, / Away from this tree of ours, / The withering winds did blow, / And dried up all the flowers.
Genres
- Nature Poetry — The address to a stork connects its arrival and departure with spring, withering flowers, winter snow, and frost.
- Lyric Poetry — Seven rhymed quatrains voice the speaker's welcome, invitation, and personal sorrow directly to the bird.
Tags
storks · spring · winter · snow · gardens · sorrow
What this Textopian page supports
To the Stork is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Nature Poetry, Lyric Poetry
- Length: 255 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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