What the Traveller Said at Sunset
The poem describes a scene of a traveller standing on a hill at sunset, reflecting on the passing of time and the fleeting nature of human life. The speaker expresses a sense of melancholy and longing for a lost love, while also acknowledging the inevitability of death and the transience of earthly joys.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1866 · Genre: Spiritual Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Romanticism · 330 words
First lines
The shadows grow and deepen round me, I feel the deffall in the air; The muezzin of the darkening thicket, I hear the night-thrush call to prayer.
The evening wind is sad with farewells, And loving hands unclasp from mine; Alone I go to meet the darkness Across an awful boundary-line.
What this Textopian page supports
What the Traveller Said at Sunset is listed on Textopian as a short story by John Greenleaf Whittier, dated 1866 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: John Greenleaf Whittier
- Date: 1866 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Spiritual Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Meditative Poetry, Religious Poetry
- Length: 330 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- A Death Blow Is A Life Blow To Some by Emily Dickinson
- Aspiration by Madison Cawein
- Inscriptions On A Sun Dial by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Tis Said That Some Have Died For Love by William Wordsworth
- If I Should Ever By Chance by Edward Thomas
Genres
- Spiritual Poetry — The poem explores themes of spirituality, the afterlife, and the relationship between the divine and humanity.
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses personal emotions and reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — The poem embodies Romantic ideals, focusing on nature, emotion, and the individual's experience.
- Meditative Poetry — The reflective nature of the poem invites contemplation on life, death, and the divine.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Sunset · Traveler · Reflection · Philosophy · Existentialism · Mortality · Life · Death · Fate · Free Will