Hope is the thing with feathers

This weekend for English homework, we were assigned to read 3 poems, one of which is called “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson.  The extended metaphor about hope really touched me, in addition to how cleverly Dickinson related the bird metaphor to hope.  

For me, this poem describes my emotions thus far in 2017 quite perfectly.  I suppose I’m hoping for many things, high school applications, varsity tennis tryouts, passing a climate change initiative at school [in which I’m writing to the school Board], doing well in the Massachusetts Middle School Drama Festival competition [which my drama class at school is working on], performing one of Chopin’s Nocturnes at an annual piano judged festival, just to name a few things I’m hopeful about.  I hope this poem speaks to you as well.

Hope is the thing with feathers

By Emily Dickinson

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 chilliest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.