A Forest Hymn
Encyclopedia
A Forest Hymn is an 1824 poem written by William Cullen Bryant
, which has been called one of Bryant's best poems, and "one of the best nature poems of that age." It first appeared in The United States Literary Gazette
and was published in Boston, alongside several other poems written by Bryant.
, A Forest Hymn is said to have been Bryant's way of saying farewell to country life before moving to New York City
in 1825, which came about during a period where he wrote a large amount of works. It is reflective of Bryant's love of nature and religious belief, has been called a "picturesque poem," and Richard Henry Stoddard
has said:
At the pace of the wind "playing upon the leaves and the branches of the ancient woods, Eleanor O'Grady has suggested that the poem be read with in a smooth and gliding manner, as done in Median Stress.
The poem has been published many times, including an 1860 edition with illustrations by John A. Hows.
William Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post.-Youth and education:...
, which has been called one of Bryant's best poems, and "one of the best nature poems of that age." It first appeared in The United States Literary Gazette
Gazette of the United States
The Gazette of the United States was an early American partisan newspaper first issued on April 15, 1789, as a biweekly publication friendly to the administration of George Washington, and to the policies and members of the emerging Federalist Party...
and was published in Boston, alongside several other poems written by Bryant.
Analysis and reception
Said to have been only conceivable by someone familiar with the "thick foliage and tall trunks of [the] primeval forests" in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, A Forest Hymn is said to have been Bryant's way of saying farewell to country life before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1825, which came about during a period where he wrote a large amount of works. It is reflective of Bryant's love of nature and religious belief, has been called a "picturesque poem," and Richard Henry Stoddard
Richard Henry Stoddard
Richard Henry Stoddard was an American critic and poet.-Biography:Richard Henry Stoddard was born on July 2, 1825, in Hingham, Massachusetts. His father, a sea-captain, was wrecked and lost on one of his voyages while Richard was a child, and the lad went in 1835 to New York City with his mother,...
has said:
At the pace of the wind "playing upon the leaves and the branches of the ancient woods, Eleanor O'Grady has suggested that the poem be read with in a smooth and gliding manner, as done in Median Stress.
The poem has been published many times, including an 1860 edition with illustrations by John A. Hows.
Sources
|publisher=W. A. Townsend & co.|year=1860|page=}}|chapter=|date=1900}}External links
- An outline of the poem: pages 113 to 117 in Intensive studies in American literature at Google Books.