Hope is the Thing with Feathers
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.
Poem
Vocabulary List Tap 🔊
Tap the speaker to hear each word.
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feathers /ˈfɛðərz/
Soft parts that cover a bird’s body.
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perch /pərʧ/
To sit or rest, like a bird on a branch.
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soul /soʊl/
A person’s inner spirit or heart.
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tune /tun/
A melody; a simple song.
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gale /geɪl/
A very strong wind.
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sore /sɔr/
Very strong or severe (old-fashioned use).
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abash /əˈbæʃ/
To make someone feel embarrassed or quiet.
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chillest /ˈʧɪlɪst/
Coldest.
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extremity /ɛkˈstrɛməti/
A very difficult or dangerous situation.
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crumb /krəm/
A very small piece of bread or food.
Meaning
Emily Dickinson compares hope to a bird that lives inside us. This bird sings all the time, even during storms and cold weather. Hard times cannot silence it. Hope gives us warmth and strength and never asks for payment.
Comprehension Questions
Answer the questions based on the poem.
- What is hope compared to in the poem?
- Where does the “little bird” live?
- When is the bird’s song “sweetest,” and why is that important?
- What kind of storm would it take to silence the bird?
- What does the poem say hope asks for in return?
Discussion Prompts
- Describe a time when hope helped you in a difficult situation.
- Why do you think Dickinson chose a bird to represent hope?
- What lines from the poem are most meaningful to you? Explain.
- Is hope always positive? Can it ever be unrealistic? Discuss.