Wild was the day; the wintry sea
Moaned sadly on New England’s strand,
When first, the thoughtful and the free,
Our fathers, trod the desert land.
They little thought how pure a light,
With years, should gather round that day;
How love should keep their memories bright;
How wide a realm their sons should sway.
Green are their bays, but greener still
Shall round their spreading fame be wreathed;
And regions, now untrod, shall thrill
With reverence, when their names are breathed. Till where the sun, with softer fires,
Looks on the vast Pacific’s sleep,
The children of the Pilgrim sires
This hallowed day like us shall keep.
( William Cullen Bryant )
strand : a small piece
realm : referring to a particular area
reverence : respect for someone
Answer the following questions.
1) What event does this poem celebrate?
2) Where did the Pilgrims first land
3) Could the Pilgrims have imagined the vast country the colonies developed into?
4) What does the first stanza explain
5) What does the last stanza explain?