“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.

“Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers is one of the best known of Emily Dickinson’s poems (written in 1862). An extended metaphor, it likens the concept of hope to a feathered bird that is permanently perched in the soul of every human.

Full of figurative language, this poem is an extended metaphor, transforming hope into a bird (the poet loved birds) that is ever present in the human soul. It sings, especially when times get tough. Hope springs eternal, might be a reasonable summing up.

Obtained from https://www.ccvichapel.org/post/_hope

On the header, photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash.