The Rainy Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) wrote the sentimental poems that are still popular today. Longfellow published his first volume of poetry, Voices of the Night (1838), was well-received and one of the best-known poems was "A Psalm of Life". The poems was speak directly to the reader about the inspirational message. That life should be lived everyday to the fullest way, forget the past and live actively in the present. On the next volume of poetry, Ballads and Other Poems (1842), contains two sentimental poems "Maidenhood" and "The Rainy Day". And the one that I, personally, like very much is "The Rainy Day".

The Rainy Day tells story about  a man who is having a depressing days. He looked back the past, the long lost youth and the dreams that he had when he was younger. He still thinks about the past instead of looks to the future. The first stanza is very gloomy and depressing as illustrated in the metaphor of the storm, the rain and the wind is never weary. The second stanza, the narrator describing his own life is in discouraging days and what a depressing life can be. But the tone of the poems is change on the final stanza. A sense of hope is reveal. The poet realize that he can't live in the past and his life still go on.

I read many reviews about this poem and for readers, the message is well-received as the poet meant to tell. About hope and optimism, deal with the past and move on. Well, I don't know about the optimism or a hope, but for me, personally, the punch line is the last line. Into each life some rain must fall, Some days must be dark and dreary. Those days happen in life. We can't choose when the rain will fall or when the days will dark, we can't control it either but we know it must happen somehow. You can't expect spring and summer come 365 days a year, within those days things change, seasons must change. Life must be like this, it's a part of life.

The Rainy Day

Written at the old home in Portland 
(1841)

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
  And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
  And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
  Some days must be dark and dreary.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  

Regards, 

Kezia Mamoto