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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - It is not Always May

No hay pajaros en los nidos de antano.
Spanish Proverb

The sun is bright,--the air is clear,
The darting swallows soar and sing.
And from the stately elms I hear
The bluebird prophesying Spring.

So blue you winding river flows,
It seems an outlet from the sky,
Where waiting till the west-wind blows,
The freighted clouds at anchor lie.

All things are new;--the buds, the leaves,
That gild the elm-tree's nodding crest,
And even the nest beneath the eaves;--
There are no birds in last year's nest!

All things rejoice in youth and love,
The fulness of their first delight!
And learn from the soft heavens above
The melting tenderness of night.

Maiden, that read'st this simple rhyme,
Enjoy thy youth, it will not stay;
Enjoy the fragrance of thy prime,
For oh, it is not always May!

Enjoy the Spring of Love and Youth,
To some good angel leave the rest;
For Time will teach thee soon the truth,
There are no birds in last year's nest!

Added: on February 7th, 2005 at 2:50 PM | Viewed: 9435 times | Comments and analysis of It is not Always May by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Comments (7)


It is not Always May - Comments and Information

Poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Art)
Poem: 5. It is not Always May
Volume: Ballads and Other Poems
Poem of the Day: Oct 27 2002

Comment 7 of 7, added on April 18th, 2006 at 4:28 PM.

This poem rocks our socks off so much that we even used it in our educational school project. thanks! love you lots =]

H.D.M. from Nigeria
Comment 6 of 7, added on December 8th, 2005 at 11:51 AM.

This poem is ok... Its for sure not my favorite, but what can i say... My birthday is in may, and this man is talking good about my month... Thats all i can say!!!

AnDrEw M. from United States
Comment 5 of 7, added on February 7th, 2005 at 2:50 PM.

The Spanish proverb translated means "There are not birds in the nests of last year." Probably a saying he heard when he was touring in Spain after his university years. It obviously stuck with him and he developed this poem which has a lot to say to the young people out there.

Jean from United States

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