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"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
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
Unknown Binding
First published January 30, 2012
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113 people want to read
About the author
Emily Dickinson
1,531 books6,774 followersEmily Dickinson was an American poet who, despite the fact that less than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, is widely considered one of the most original and influential poets of the 19th century.
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 23, 2024
“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.
MY FAVORITE POEM TO EVER EXIST.
Emily Dickinson I owe you my entire existence
you have my heart
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.
MY FAVORITE POEM TO EVER EXIST.
Emily Dickinson I owe you my entire existence
you have my heart
January 31, 2017
Hope. It was a sweet short poem.
December 2, 2013
I love this poem. The best part is the ending. Writing a good ending to a poem or a story can be very difficult. Dickenson obviously knew what she was doing. Despite the brevity of the poem it evokes a lot of emotion. This ending shows us that hope is always there for us and asks nothing in return. We are told of the great lengths hope goes through to stay with us, and how it will weather even the harshest storm, and yet it requires nothing of us in return. I would definitely use this poem to get students thinking about how to end their stories or poetry. Its a great strategy to use a lot of grandeur in the majority of a story, only to end in simplicity. This would be a good poem to keep available in the classroom. Not only does it inspire hope and perseverance, it is a great tool when teaching endings.
April 5, 2014
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me ......... !!!
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me ......... !!!
January 10, 2018
I have arranged my thoughts into a haiku:
"So tiny it feels,
When it is held, but so vast
Should it fly away."
"So tiny it feels,
When it is held, but so vast
Should it fly away."
April 4, 2014
I've always adored this poem! :)
June 1, 2022
“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” —Anne Frank.
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.
Dickinson visualizes hope as a feathered bird in performance eternally in the human soul.
The cry of this bird sounds the sweetest when the soul is facing a gust, that is, when a human being is passing through hard times.
Only the fiercest of storms can dishearten or hush this bird. In other words, hope can be diminished only by the sorest catastrophe.
The poetess says that she has heard the song of this bird in the chilliest land and on the strangest sea, meaning that hope has sustained her in the face of the most unfavourable situations.
And yet this bird has never asked to be fed even at a time of immense suffering. That is to say, hope is self-sufficient and does not need to be kept animate synthetically.
Not only does hope spring eternal in the human breast but it springs naturally and spontaneously and without any effort on the part of human beings:
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me….
The metaphor of hope as a bird singing is kept up all through the poem, and a time-worn, recognizable proposal is given a brand new appearance.
Nor is there the least murkiness about this poem. In fact it is one of Miss Dickinson’s simplest Poems.
Alexander Pope had written:
Hope springs eternal in the human breast,
Man never is, but always to be, blest.
Emily Dickinson has in her poem expanded the idea of the first line of the above couplet and conveyed it by means of an allegory.
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.
Dickinson visualizes hope as a feathered bird in performance eternally in the human soul.
The cry of this bird sounds the sweetest when the soul is facing a gust, that is, when a human being is passing through hard times.
Only the fiercest of storms can dishearten or hush this bird. In other words, hope can be diminished only by the sorest catastrophe.
The poetess says that she has heard the song of this bird in the chilliest land and on the strangest sea, meaning that hope has sustained her in the face of the most unfavourable situations.
And yet this bird has never asked to be fed even at a time of immense suffering. That is to say, hope is self-sufficient and does not need to be kept animate synthetically.
Not only does hope spring eternal in the human breast but it springs naturally and spontaneously and without any effort on the part of human beings:
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me….
The metaphor of hope as a bird singing is kept up all through the poem, and a time-worn, recognizable proposal is given a brand new appearance.
Nor is there the least murkiness about this poem. In fact it is one of Miss Dickinson’s simplest Poems.
Alexander Pope had written:
Hope springs eternal in the human breast,
Man never is, but always to be, blest.
Emily Dickinson has in her poem expanded the idea of the first line of the above couplet and conveyed it by means of an allegory.
March 5, 2025
.
📜⋆.ೃ🎞࿔*:･🕰-'♡'-
there's something deeply comforting in the simplicity of emily dickinson's hope is the thing with feathers. it's one of those poems that stays with you in its quiet, persistent way, much like hope itself; the poem is only a few lines long, but it carries so much weight. in her signature style, dickinson doesn't tell us what hope is; instead, she shows us through a symbol that is both fragile and powerful. it’s a bird that "perches in the soul," never asking for anything in return, yet offering everything in the face of adversity. i love how she suggests that hope doesn’t demand or fade, no matter how much we endure.
the tone here is quiet but resolute, and while it’s undeniably uplifting, it’s also subtly bittersweet. it makes you reflect on how hope—like that little bird—can sometimes be the only thing keeping us going when life feels uncertain. it’s a solid 4 stars for me. there’s something timeless about this poem. it speaks not only to its era but also to ours, making it a perfect reminder that hope, in its many forms, is always worth clinging to. 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
｡˚.☕𐙚📜⭒๋࣭ ⭑ the line "and sings the tune without the words, and never stops—at all" really struck me. it’s the perfect encapsulation of hope’s quiet persistence. it’s not something we have to articulate to know it exists—hope just is, like a melody carried through the air, regardless of the chaos around it. it’s constantly present, even when we’re not actively aware of it. dickinson acknowledges that hope doesn’t need a reason or even a logical explanation to survive.
⊹ ࣪ ˖🕰️୭˚. ᵎᵎ
emily dickinson, they could NEVER make me hate you; never, ever, ever.
.
📜⋆.ೃ🎞࿔*:･🕰-'♡'-
there's something deeply comforting in the simplicity of emily dickinson's hope is the thing with feathers. it's one of those poems that stays with you in its quiet, persistent way, much like hope itself; the poem is only a few lines long, but it carries so much weight. in her signature style, dickinson doesn't tell us what hope is; instead, she shows us through a symbol that is both fragile and powerful. it’s a bird that "perches in the soul," never asking for anything in return, yet offering everything in the face of adversity. i love how she suggests that hope doesn’t demand or fade, no matter how much we endure.
the tone here is quiet but resolute, and while it’s undeniably uplifting, it’s also subtly bittersweet. it makes you reflect on how hope—like that little bird—can sometimes be the only thing keeping us going when life feels uncertain. it’s a solid 4 stars for me. there’s something timeless about this poem. it speaks not only to its era but also to ours, making it a perfect reminder that hope, in its many forms, is always worth clinging to. 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
｡˚.☕𐙚📜⭒๋࣭ ⭑ the line "and sings the tune without the words, and never stops—at all" really struck me. it’s the perfect encapsulation of hope’s quiet persistence. it’s not something we have to articulate to know it exists—hope just is, like a melody carried through the air, regardless of the chaos around it. it’s constantly present, even when we’re not actively aware of it. dickinson acknowledges that hope doesn’t need a reason or even a logical explanation to survive.
⊹ ࣪ ˖🕰️୭˚. ᵎᵎ
emily dickinson, they could NEVER make me hate you; never, ever, ever.
.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2022
Hope is that feathered being ,this is what Emily expressed in her poem called(HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS), yes hope is not a living being but when you add feathers to it becomes a bird that gives us a lot of meaning and positive feathers enable the bird to fly as we can hope for giving, activity and vitality. Then the bird continues to tweet to represent eternal hope, it continues to sing hope.
The feathers are soft and gentle but strong in flight, so it's as if hope is a pure song, a pure feeling in the song that doesn't end as immortality and the survival of hope.
Hope always sings, but it sings better when the atmosphere becomes harsh because we need it in times of difficulty, so when life is harsh on us and things throw at us, the pressure is unrelenting, so there is hope that sings in chaos, so we know that the strongest and most successful people work and think under chaos and pressure.
Hope gives us a lot but does not ask for crumbs in return unlike human beings who want a return and have a goal behind their support for you for example and those who love you are very few people. All this is inspiring, but a little mysterious. Hope beats with heart and soul, but who knows where it comes from?
Finally, it is difficult to disturb hope even when life seems difficult because hope gives strength and patience for nothing.
Hope puts in our souls the spirit ,so the soul is the home of hope.
Hope is a free gift available to all human beings. All we have to do is not cut the wing of hope and allow it to fly and tweet.
The feathers are soft and gentle but strong in flight, so it's as if hope is a pure song, a pure feeling in the song that doesn't end as immortality and the survival of hope.
Hope always sings, but it sings better when the atmosphere becomes harsh because we need it in times of difficulty, so when life is harsh on us and things throw at us, the pressure is unrelenting, so there is hope that sings in chaos, so we know that the strongest and most successful people work and think under chaos and pressure.
Hope gives us a lot but does not ask for crumbs in return unlike human beings who want a return and have a goal behind their support for you for example and those who love you are very few people. All this is inspiring, but a little mysterious. Hope beats with heart and soul, but who knows where it comes from?
Finally, it is difficult to disturb hope even when life seems difficult because hope gives strength and patience for nothing.
Hope puts in our souls the spirit ,so the soul is the home of hope.
Hope is a free gift available to all human beings. All we have to do is not cut the wing of hope and allow it to fly and tweet.
January 31, 2020
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
This part of the poem elicits for me an image in my mind of walking on a shaded pathway with birds flitting above me and chirping and twittering. That peace that such a scene provides.
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
These lines make me think of how sweet a sight to sailors, seeing a bird flying above them, having been tossed and turned in a horrible storm. This means land is near and that they've lived through the worst of it and made it through.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
This part of the poem says to me that no matter the circumstance, no matter how far away you feel from yourself, hope is there for you to cling to and is free for the taking.
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
This part of the poem elicits for me an image in my mind of walking on a shaded pathway with birds flitting above me and chirping and twittering. That peace that such a scene provides.
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
These lines make me think of how sweet a sight to sailors, seeing a bird flying above them, having been tossed and turned in a horrible storm. This means land is near and that they've lived through the worst of it and made it through.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
This part of the poem says to me that no matter the circumstance, no matter how far away you feel from yourself, hope is there for you to cling to and is free for the taking.
April 23, 2024
Brief Summary: Emily Dickinson's "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" remains a timeless masterpiece, as it skillfully employs the metaphor of a bird to represent hope.
A brown bird flies across the city, singing and catching the attention of the people below, who smile.
Comments: This would be a poem(and possibly others) the teacher could read aloud while the students drew their interpretation of the words.
The illustrations were hand-drawn using chalk, pencil, and ink and digitally collaged and colored.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
A brown bird flies across the city, singing and catching the attention of the people below, who smile.
Comments: This would be a poem(and possibly others) the teacher could read aloud while the students drew their interpretation of the words.
The illustrations were hand-drawn using chalk, pencil, and ink and digitally collaged and colored.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
July 6, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The writing style here wasn’t that great. It could have something to do with the old English in this one.
The plot of this poem was okay but it didn’t work for me. I kind of wish that I’ve have enjoyed this one more.
This one was my second word of Emily Dickinson. And so far I wish that I enjoyed her work more because it feels like a lots of people really love her work and I just don’t so far.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The writing style here wasn’t that great. It could have something to do with the old English in this one.
The plot of this poem was okay but it didn’t work for me. I kind of wish that I’ve have enjoyed this one more.
This one was my second word of Emily Dickinson. And so far I wish that I enjoyed her work more because it feels like a lots of people really love her work and I just don’t so far.
December 29, 2020
"Hope" is the thing with feathers - by Emily Dickinson
Fascinating!
“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.
Fascinating!
“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.
July 22, 2021
Man....I wish I liked Emily Dickinson more. I know she's seminal and there's a lot of poetry readers who worship her but...I don't know. There's something about her writing that just puts me off that I can't quite identify.
September 14, 2017
I adore this poem....
"hope" is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words
"hope" is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words
December 24, 2022
I know Emily Dickinson was very smart and talented woman. I just don’t care for poetry all that much.
October 3, 2023
“‘Hope’ is thing with feathers / that perches in the soul / and sings the tune without the words / and never stops / at all” so we just have to keep listening for it :)
September 11, 2025
short poem i read + a few more emily dickinson poems
October 16, 2025
Another one I remember from my childhood. Short and sweet it always made me feel better when I was down, even at a young age.
March 17, 2023
“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.”
Hope. ❤️
Hope. ❤️
December 7, 2022
Beautiful, beautiful poem
January 1, 2024
Looking back on all the poems I read in 2023, this one has stuck with me, flown its way, with its little wings, into my heart. Absolute favourite ❤️
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews