BY HEINRICH HEINE by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Editor's note

The poem begins by mentioning two of the most magnificent wonders known to people in the 19th century: the vast deep sea brimming with pearls and the night sky sparkling with stars. These elements represent the beauty of nature—things that seem almost too grand and breathtaking to quantify. The concise, parallel lines create a balanced, chant-like rhythm in the stanza, paving the way for the contrast that comes next.

Editor's note

Here, the speaker turns the comparison on its head. Sure, the sea and sky are magnificent — but the heart is *greater*. It's a daring, nearly audacious assertion, and that's precisely the idea. Love is prioritized over nature itself. The phrase "flashes and beams" in the last line of this stanza uses the language of light — the same quality that gives stars and pearls their beauty — and connects it directly to love.

Editor's note

The poem shifts outward for the first time. The speaker directly addresses the beloved, referring to her as "little" and "youthful" — not to belittle her, but to highlight how her smallness contrasts with the immense heart that loves her. The closing image of the heart, the sea, and heaven all "melting away with love" conveys complete surrender: everything solid and majestic fades away in the presence of this feeling.