FOLK-SONGS.
The Sifting of Peter
Maiden and Weathercock
The Windmill
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
The Annotated Edition
FOLK-SONGS. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Longfellow's "Folk-Songs" comprises four brief poems that capture simple, song-like verses about everyday characters and elements — a wavering disciple, a spinning weathercock, a grinding windmill, and the unyielding tide.
- Themes
- faith, mortality, nature
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
Longfellow's "Folk-Songs" comprises four brief poems that capture simple, song-like verses about everyday characters and elements — a wavering disciple, a spinning weathercock, a grinding windmill, and the unyielding tide. Each tiny poem resembles a folk tune: straightforward language, a strong rhythm, and a vivid image that conveys a deeper truth. Collectively, they express that nature and time continue their course, regardless of whether people stand strong or break down.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
The Sifting of Peter
Editor's note
This section recounts the Gospel moment when Satan requests to "sift" Peter like wheat, putting his faith to the test to see if it will remain strong or fall apart. Longfellow uses simple, hymn-like language, allowing the biblical story to emerge within a folk-song structure. The main conflict lies in the struggle of human frailty against the hope of being reunited once the sifting process is complete.
Maiden and Weathercock
Editor's note
A weathercock turns with each change in the wind, and Longfellow offers a gentle, wry take on inconstancy — probably romantic in nature. The maiden observes the weathercock and sees something she knows well in its movements. The tone is light-hearted yet has a subtle bite: loyalty is uncommon, and people, much like weathercocks, tend to follow wherever the wind blows them.
The Windmill
Editor's note
The windmill symbolizes joyful, industrious labor. It grinds steadily, its arms turning as it carries out its task without a hint of complaint. Longfellow imbues it with a sense of human-like contentment — it's engaged, it's valuable, and it doesn't pause to dwell on its thoughts. The poem serves as a gentle reminder to appreciate the dignity and even happiness that can come from consistent, repetitive work.
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
Editor's note
This is the most well-known of the four and one of Longfellow's most anthologized poems. A traveler strolls along the shore at dusk, vanishing into the night, never to return — yet the tide continues its rise and fall, unmoved. The sea washes away the traveler’s footprints, and morning arrives without him. It’s a subtle, heartbreaking poem about mortality: life carries on; the individual does not.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
The sequence shifts through tones like a folk-song set — from solemn and searching in "The Sifting of Peter," to wry and light in "Maiden and Weathercock," to contented in "The Windmill," and finally to hushed and elegiac in "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls." What ties all four together is their simplicity: short lines, strong repetition, and an avoidance of over-explanation. The overall vibe is like sitting around a fire, listening to songs that have been sung so often they feel ancient, even if the ink is still fresh.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- The tide
- The tide's constant rise and fall represents time itself—indifferent, unstoppable, and greater than any one human life. It washes away the traveller's footprints just as time wipes out individual existence.
- The windmill
- The windmill's turning arms symbolize deliberate and satisfying work. It transforms unseen wind into tangible results, implying that there is value in consistent, modest effort.
- The weathercock
- The weathercock is a traditional symbol of change—it turns in whatever direction the wind blows. In this context, it reflects the unpredictability that can sometimes be found in romantic or personal loyalty.
- The sifting of wheat
- The sifting of wheat, as mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, serves as a test of faith: the solid grains remain, while the chaff is blown away. It challenges whether a person's fundamental beliefs can endure through pressure and uncertainty.
- The traveller's footprints
- The footprints in the sand are the only evidence of a human life — and the sea sweeps them away by morning, reminding us just how fleeting and delicate our presence in the world truly is.
- Wind
- Wind is a recurring theme in all four poems, acting as an invisible force that influences various elements — the weathercock, the windmill, the tide, and even the trials of Peter's soul. It symbolizes powers beyond human control.
§06Historical context
Historical context
Longfellow published these poems later in his life, in "Ultima Thule" (1880) and "In the Harbor" (1882), collections that reflect the introspection of old age. By then, he had outlived his second wife, who tragically died in a fire in 1861, and had become America's most cherished poet over several decades. He chose the folk-song form intentionally, as he had always been captivated by oral traditions and vernacular verse—from his early translations of European ballads to "The Song of Hiawatha." These late miniatures move away from the grand ambitions of his earlier works, aiming for a simpler kind of truth that can be expressed in just a few lines, lingering in the memory like a catchy tune. "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls," in particular, is often seen as a quiet reflection on his own impending death.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
It’s a poem about mortality. A traveler strolls along the shore at dusk, disappears overnight, and never returns — yet the tide continues to wash away his footprints. The sea shows no grief. Longfellow conveys that nature remains indifferent to individual human lives, and that death is as natural and unavoidable as the ebb and flow of the tide.
He wanted his poems to feel like traditional songs instead of literary works—short, rhythmic, focused on a single vivid image, and easy to remember. Longfellow had spent his life studying European folk traditions, and these later poems reflect that influence: simple, straightforward, and enduring.
It recounts the moment in the Gospel of Luke when Satan requests God's permission to test Peter's faith, much like sifting wheat to separate the grain from the chaff. Longfellow uses this to delve into the notion that true faith — or genuine character — reveals itself under pressure. Peter, known for denying Jesus three times, brings in themes of failure and the chance for redemption.
The weathercock is a classic symbol of changeability since it turns to follow the wind's direction. In Longfellow's poem, it reflects a person—probably a lover—who struggles to remain committed in their feelings. The maiden observing it realizes, with a blend of amusement and sorrow, that some people are simply that way.
Most readers and scholars see it that way. Longfellow wrote it in 1879, just a few years before he died, and the image of a traveler who vanishes without returning resonates with his own feelings about nearing the end of life. After years of mourning his wife, themes of loss and the world moving on without a loved one were deeply significant to him.
It’s the lightest and most cheerful of the four poems. The windmill is busy, purposeful, and almost joyful as it turns. Longfellow gives it a personality — it isn’t grinding away miserably; it’s doing exactly what it was meant to do. The mood reflects a simple contentment in meaningful work.
They are distinct poems organized under one title, yet they engage in conversation with one another. Each of the four explores themes — wind, tide, faith, time — that surpass individual existence, and they all employ a simple, lyrical style to convey this idea. Reading them as a collection provides a glimpse into the complete spectrum of life: uncertainty, changeability, consistent effort, and ultimately, death.
Repetition stands out the most — particularly in 'The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls,' where the title line recurs like a song's refrain. The poet employs personification (the windmill experiences emotions, the tide acts with intention), straightforward end-rhyme, and powerful central metaphors that carry much of the weight. The language remains intentionally simple — avoiding elaborate vocabulary and complex syntax.
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