Hope is the thing....


"Hope" is the thing with feathers --
That perches in the soul --
And sings the tune without the words --
And never stops -- at all --



And sweetest -- in the Gale -- is heard --
And sore must be the storm --
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm --

I've heard it in the chillest land --
And on the strangest Sea --
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb -- of Me. ~By Emily Dickinson


I like to imagine birds singing as encouragement
 for every person who will listen. Have you ever noticed what birds do when a storm blows through? They take cover, or face it, or cling to something in the wind, but they don't give up their music.  After the storm—birds return to their hopeful song.

Hope is a gift—a tiny flame created in the soul of every person.

If  hope is your transportation, where would you travel?


Source for: "Hope" is the thing with feathers http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/emily_dickinson/poems/5346

Comments

Love Dickinson! And nice observation about the birds in storms. We really have to have hope to face each day, don't we?
CM said…
You're back!!! :-)

Beautifully written and so true. After a long, cold winter here, there is nothing as glorious as the sound of a bird singing in the first glimpses of Spring.
Jules said…
Lovely insight on hope and very well written. Glad to see you are back. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Mason Canyon said…
The birds do seem to bring hope with them after a storm. Funny I hadn't thought of it before but if we step outside and don't hear the birds we feel something is wrong. They do brings us comfort. Thoughtful post.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Unknown said…
Do you know what's sad? I have no idea where I'd go. Perhaps I don't feel I have as much hope as I do.

CD
Elizabeth, Sometimes I think hope make help us get out of bed.

Little Miz Lilac, Winter depresses me. The singing birds are the first thing that gives me hope that winter is passing.

Jules, Welcome! Come back soon.

Mason, It is spooky when a storm is a brewing here and the birds take a break from their singing.

Clarissa, Life beats. What I have found is that the beating of life may in fact destroy dreams or at least make them fuzzy. Listen to the hope inside. :)
Gail said…
Love Emily Dickinson and think sometime about what a life she lived.
She gave us much beauty in her words.
Gail, Emily rocks in my opinion.
Missouri Gal said…
I would go to the mountains somewhere. I try to hang on to hope but reality keeps knocking it back down.
Nicole, Eagles like the mountains. Don't forget how they soar.
Carol Kilgore said…
Very nice. I'm going to remember this.
Unknown said…
Teresa, so glad you are back! All rested?

Hope will take me where He leads me.

Take care & God bless!
Guess I'd never noticed!
Betty Manousos said…
So true and encouraging poem, Teresa!!
Thanks for sharing it!

Hope you have a sweet day!
Big hugs,
B xx
To infinity and beyond! Great post girl!

Have a wonderfully blessed Wednesday :o)
Mary Aalgaard said…
Thank you for the lovely reflection with Emily Dickenson's poem. Hope. It will take me to places that I can't even fully envision.
Angela C. said…
I feel like the bird trying to get through the storm a lot lately. Just like the bird though, I keep flying, and knowing that my maker is still and will take care of me even when everything seems to be falling apart.
This is the time where I like the verse, "Be Still, and know that I'm God."
CA Heaven said…
Do you know the bird called arctic tern? It probably has the most impressive migration route of all animals. It's living half the year in the Arctic and half the year in the Antarctic, seeing nothing but summer. It's flying around the globe once a year. Quite impressive for a little bird, isn't it?

Cold As Heaven
Terri Tiffany said…
I would fly to Seattle to be with my family:))
I've always loved this poem. Beautiful.
~ Wendy
I think I'd go wherever my wings felt like taking me at the time.

Some days I'd fly to China.

Others I'd just fly right back to bed.

It's all good. :-)
Deb Shucka said…
This is one of my all time favorite poems. Thank you for bringing it to my attention again. Of course they sing as encouragement. Of course.
Unknown said…
I love "hope"! Where would we be without it? Love the poem and pic.

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