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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - MEZZO CAMMIN

Half of my life is gone, and I have let
The years slip from me and have not fulfilled
The aspiration of my youth, to build
Some tower of song with lofty parapet.
Not indolence, nor pleasure, nor the fret
Of restless passions chat would not be stilled,
But sorrow, and a care that almost killed,
Kept me from what I may accomplish yet;
Though, half way up the hill, I see the Past
Lying beneath me with its sounds and sights,--
A city in the twilight dim and vast,
With smoking roofs, soft bells, and gleaming lights.--
And hear above me on the autumnal blast
The cataract of Death far thundering from the heights.

Added: on September 26th, 2005 at 5:28 PM | Viewed: 4009 times | Comments and analysis of MEZZO CAMMIN by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Comments (2)


MEZZO CAMMIN - Comments and Information

Poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poem: 19. MEZZO CAMMIN
Volume: The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems

Comment 2 of 2, added on May 13th, 2008 at 12:05 PM.

The analysis on this poem is incorrect. As a literature teacher the poem is an Italian Sonnet with the tone shift at the volta. It is not written in terza rima but rather abbaabbacdcdcd and is a sonnet not divided into stanzas. Always check your sources on the Net!!

Mary Kearney from United States
Comment 1 of 2, added on September 26th, 2005 at 5:28 PM.

Iam the first one to post in this great poem. ^.^ too bad noone posted before its a really great poem as said before.

This poem talks about the human conscience about what he´s lived and an unknown (better)future yet to come, in case of dante´s is the path of man of the midle age(about 35) through hell, purgatory till he reaches the paradise. Also the title is very similiar to dante´s inferno(hell) first line in the original italian.

"Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita..."

About the stanzas...both of them are the same "Alexander" verses, i think. its the "terza rima" the second verse of first stanza rymmes with first and third from sencond stanza. ABA BCB

Thats all folks

Other´s poems that uses the terza rima and more or less uses the sama theme of dante´s and longfellow. In fact its about the "world´s machine" a man apparently in his middle age searching his own answers all of sudden he faces all "science" (answers).Altough they are brazillian writers i hope u guys can find a translation one.

here´s the authors and poems:

Carlos Drummond de Andrade - a Maquina do Mundo
(world´s machine)
Haroldo de Campos - A Maquina do Mundo repensada
(world´s machine re-thought)





Diogo Kobayashi from Brazil

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