The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow →

The Tide Rises and The Tide Falls, A Poem about Time and Life

The tide rises, the tide falls,

The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;

Along the sea-sands damp and brown

The traveler hastens toward the town,

      And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Darkness settles on roofs and walls,

But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;

The little waves, with their soft, white hands,

Efface the footprints in the sands,

      And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls

Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;

The day returns, but nevermore

Returns the traveller to the shore,

      And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Analysis of Poem

Longfellow’s poem is all about the process of birth-death-rebirth in the world but also may relate to the journey of our own lives.

The theme revolves around what is thought of as a temporary life on Earth. It also may reflect that good times follow bad and then good comes again.

The poem seems dark but if within this message you can see that the cycle of life then life will cycle bringing back happiness lost.

The Tide Rises, the tide falls. Someone rides the tide but is lost but nature and time continue.

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