Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 4:50 PM EST

Ya im not very good at these things but here we go anyways. I think he is saying that we can live our lives how we want. When he says "And the grave is not its goal"(6), he is saying that we should live life to its fullest before we run out of time instead of waiting until the end to do anything. When he says "Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!"(21), he is telling us that we should live life today and not be constantly focused on the future. Another quote when he says "Be not like dumb, driven cattle!"(19), he is saying use common sense about some things that we do and don't let people control you all the time. Ya I hate going first.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 5:41 PM EST

In this poem I feel that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as just explaining what his view on every day life was. I loved the line: “But to act, that each tomorrow-Find us farther than today” (11-12) my interpretations were that tomorrow is a different day and it is the day to accomplish more than was accomplished today, and another chance to live your life how you want to. The line: “Be not like dumb, driven cattle!-Be a hero in the strife!” (19-20) in this line I feel it states that you should to do what you feel is right. Don’t always go along with what others are doing just for the sake of doing so, do something with your own purpose. Overall I really enjoyed this poem and felt it had some really strong statements.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 6:07 PM EST

I think this poem is trying to tell us that we have the power to do whatever we want in life and have to take action to fulfill that. One of the first lines, "Life is but an empty dream" (2) shows me this. It suggests that it is best to live a good one by stepping up to the plate and making good decisions for ourselves, don't just let others make them for us. I see this in the lines, "Be not like dumb, driven cattle! / Be a hero in strife!" (19-20). You want to live life in the fullest to extend your chances of living longer instead of going to the grave. "Life is real! Life is earnest! / And the grave is not its goal" (5-6) shows this. If we are patient in doing these things, you will be successful in life. You can apply this to life by taking chances and opportunties to try different things. You should also be a leader and choose the path right for you. By doing these things, you can be a success.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 6:42 PM EST

I think he is trying to say life is here, but it may not be here tomorrow. Live life to the fullest and not worry to much about the future. "Life is real! Life is earnest" (5). He says for us to act on each day and it'll take us farther and farther in life. "Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another,..." (28-29). We should live life as if we want people to follow in our footsteps. We should try to leave a good mark by how we live. Which stated earlier as to live everday and live it to the fullest. You may not see the next day or live to tell about it. Also he says always to pursue forward. Keep pursuing your dreams.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 7:18 PM EST

I believe Henry Wadsworth was trying to, in general, convince us to live our lives to the fullest. He tells us first, "Life is but an empty dream," (2). He's pointing out that we have our whole lives in front of us to fill- - and that we should strive to fill our lives completely. Pointing to our ticking clocks, Wadsworth reminds us not to waste our time like "dumb, driven cattle," (19), for "our hearts... are beating funeral marches to the grave," (14-16). I think another important point he makes is that we should, "learn to labor and to wait," (36). To succeed in life, we can't sit on our bums and wait for success to present itself on a golden platter. We have to work at life, and eventually, over time, good things can come.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 8:13 PM EST

I don't know what to say, but I'll give it a try. I think he means that we should live our life to the fullest and to not trust the future, no matter how excellent it may seem to us. "Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant" (21) We should worry more about what we're doing that day instead of the future, and if we do live life to the fullest than do it in the best way possible. :)

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 8:13 PM EST

I agree with the previous comments saying that Wadsworth is saying to live life to the fullest. He describes our hearts are beating like “funeral marches to the grave”(16). I think Wadsworth is trying to say that we have a limited amount of time on earth. He also says, “Be not like dumb, driven cattle!”(19). I think that he means to think for yourself or at least explore different ideas. My favorite lines were “Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!”- “Heart within, and God o'erhead!” (21-24). Here, I believe Wadsworth is trying to tell the reader to forget the past and live for the moment-to trust your heart and God.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 8:41 PM EST

I agree pretty much with what everyone else has been saying. Longfellow just wants us to live our lives to the fullest and do what we think is best for ourselves. I like the quote Leah pulled saying, "Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant." I believe it is saying that you shouldn't always trust the future, because it can always change on you. The hear and now is what matters, because that is what will change your future, for better or worse. Just live your lives the best you can right now, and the rest will come later.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 9:02 PM EST

I agree with everyone else for the most part. I think Wadsworth is telling us to live our life to the fullest and not just follow the crowd. He wants us to make our own decisions. He shows this in the line "Be not like dumb, driven cattle!/ Be a hero in the strife!" I know those are the lines most people are using, but i think they best exemplify not following the crowd and making your own decisions.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 9:26 PM EST

I agree with everyone else also. He is trying to say that we should live life to its fullest and not to wait to enjoy it till tomorrow. He is telling us to leave a mark in the world and in other peoples lives. " And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time" (27-28) I think he is also trying to say not to live life by statistics but how you have seen things and how things have affected you."TELL me not, in mournful numbers"(1). I basically agree with everyone else and there isn't much to say beyond that.

Tuesday, 14 March 2006 - 11:40 PM EST

I thought that this poem was muy (very! in spanish) interesting. I liked the first two lines --'Tell me not in mournful numbers, life is but an empty dream'-- (1,2). It's about someone who thinks that life just kind of bluntly sucks and there's nothing out there for them, but he doesn't want to hear it because he knows it's not true.

And as it goes on into --'For the soul is dead that slumbers, and things are not what they seem'-- (3,4). I don't think he's actually saying the person is dead as in they're no longer living, but they are just so negative and droggy that they mise well be cause it would be any different and what they see, isn't actually all that bad as they make it out to be.

Great poem sir! Because you know...you wrote it. Ha! what?

Wednesday, 15 March 2006 - 12:42 PM EST

I read it as party hardy and keep rocking. Why? because you can't just wait for fame and fortune to come and find you, and while your here you might as well make a racket, and enjoy what your doing.
"lives of great men remind us,We can make our live sublime, And, departing, leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time;" (25-28)
We can still make our mark on the world without doing anything major, and some ship wrecked brother may take heart from it and make his own prints in the sand that may bring heart to a nation.