Blacksmith

Poem about a blacksmith

1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was an American poet and educator whose works include Paul Revere’s Ride, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. He was also the first American to translate Dante’s The Divine Comedy. His first major poetry collections were Voices of the Night (1839) and Ballads and Other Poems (1841). He died in 1882. Longfellow wrote predominantly lyric poems, known for their musical quality.

2. THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH - HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

3. Under a spreading chestnut tree The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands.

4. His hair is crisp, and black, and long, His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whate’er he can, And looks the whole world in the face, For he owes not any man.

5. Week in, week out, from more till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured bat and slow, Like a sexton ringing the village bell, When the evening sun is low.

6. Smithy – a blacksmith’s workshop

7. Sinewy – a person having a thin body and strong muscles.

8. Brawny – having strong muscles. eg : He was a great brawny man.

9. Crisp - curly and wiry

10. Bellows – an equipment that blows a strong current of air to make fire burn more fiercely. Eg : The blacksmith worked with the bellows to make the piece of iron hot.

11. Sexton – an employee or officer of a church who is responsible for the care and upkeep of church property and sometimes for ringing bells and digging graves.

12. What is the title of the poem? Who wrote this poem? Where is the blacksmith seen? What words does the poet use to show the strength of the blacksmith? Why could the blacksmith ‘look the whole world in the face’? What does this suggest about the blacksmith?

13. ACTIVITY Prepare a short profile of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow using the hints given below. Born : February 27, 1807, Portland Education : Bowdoin College Notable Works : The Village Blacksmith, A Psalm of Life, The Wreck of Hesperus, The Divine Tragedy, Voices of the Night Died : March 24, 1882

14. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born on February 27, 1807, in Portland. He was educated at Bowdoin College. The Village Blacksmith, A Psalm of Life, The Wreck of Hesperus, The Divine Tragedy, Voices of the Night etc are his notable works. He passed away on March 24 in 1882.

15. ASSIGNMENT Prepare a short description of a Blacksmith you have met in your life.