The holiest of all holidays are those
Kept by ourselves in silence and apart;
The secret anniversaries of the heart,
When the full river of feeling overflows; -
The happy days unclouded to their close;
The sudden joys that out of darkness start
As flames from ashes; swift desires that dart
Like swallows singing down each wind that blows!
White as the gleam of a receding sail,
White as a cloud that floats and fades in air,
White as the whitest lily on a stream,
These tender memories are; - a Fairy Tale
Of some enchanted land we know not where,
But lovely as a landscape in a dream.
I am busy working to bring Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Holidays" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Holidays" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.