Learn About Poetry for Kids With Hope by Emily Brontё

Emily Brontё was a famous English author and poet. She had two famous sisters, named Charlotte and Anne, who also wrote books and poetry. Emily’s book, called Wuthering Heights, and poems were written under the pen name Ellis Bell. People use pen names, also called pseudonyms, when they don’t want people to know who they really are.

Emily Brontё’s poetry is often very sad. Her mother died when she was young. Two of her sisters died as children. Her only brother also died young. So, it isn’t surprising that much of her writing is dark and moody.

This is clear from her poem Hope. Hope is expecting good things to happen. In this poem, someone is obviously very unhappy and in a bad situation. But Hope abandons them. Hope could help the suffering person but chooses not to. Then she leaves forever.

Brontё personifies Hope and Sorrow in this poem. This means that she speaks of Hope and Sorrow as if they are people. Can you find places in the poem where Hope and Sorrow sound like people?

By Emily Brontё

Hope Was but a timid friend;
She sat without the grated den,
Watching how my fate would tend,
Even as selfish−hearted men.

She was cruel in her fear;
Through the bars one dreary day,
I looked out to see her there,
And she turned her face away!

Like a false guard, false watch keeping,
Still, in strife, she whispered peace;
She would sing while I was weeping;
If I listened, she would cease.

False she was, and unrelenting;
When my last joys strewed the ground,
Even Sorrow saw, repenting,
Those sad relics scattered round;

Hope, whose whisper would have given
Balm to all my frenzied pain,
Stretched her wings, and soared to heaven,
Went, and ne'er returned again!