Ralph Waldo Emerson

(1803 - 1882 / Boston / United States)

poet Ralph Waldo Emerson
#56 on top 500 poets
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Ralph Waldo Emerson Poems

  • Fate  Deep in the man sits fast his fate To mould his ...
  • Give All To Love  Give all to love; Obey thy heart; Friends,...
  • Song Of Nature  Mine are the night and morning, The pits of ...
  • The Bell  I love thy music, mellow bell, I love thine iron ...
  • Days  Daughters of Time, the hypocritic Days, Muffled and ...
  • Dirge  Knows he who tills this lonely field To reap its ...
  • Fable  The mountain and the squirrel Had a quarrel; And ...
All poems of Ralph Waldo Emerson »


Emerson's father was a Unitarian minister who died leaving his son to be brought up by his mother and aunt. Educated at Harvard, Emerson began writing journals filled with observations and ideas which would form the basis of his later essays and poems.

After a period of teaching, Emerson returned to Harvard to join the Divinity School where he was less than a perfect student owing to his poor health and a lack of conviction in religious dogma. He was ordained and was both effective and popular as a preacher, but felt compelled to resign because he did not feel he could conscientiously serve communion. In 1832 Emerson visited Europe, where he met Wordsworth, Coleridge and Carlyle ... more »

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Quotations

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  • ''There is no one who does not exaggerate. In conversation, men are encumbered with personality, and talk too much.''
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. :"Nominalist and Realist," Essays, Second Series (1844).
    277 person liked.
    		101 person did not like.
  • ''Those who have ruled human destinies, like planets, for thousands of years, were not handsome men.''
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. "Beauty," The Conduct of Life (1860).
    201 person liked.
    		103 person did not like.
  • ''The covetousness or the malignity, which saddens me, when I ascribe it to society, is my own. I am environed by my self.''
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. "Character," Essays, Second Series (1844).
    152 person liked.
    		93 person did not like.
  • ''No performance is worth loss of geniality. 'Tis a cruel price we pay for certain fancy goods called fine arts and philosophy.''
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. "Culture," The Conduct of Life (1860).
    76 person liked.
    		23 person did not like.
  • ''In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.''
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. Essays, "Prudence," First Series (1841).
    89 person liked.
    		24 person did not like.
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Comments about Ralph Waldo Emerson

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  • Mr. Lane (10/12/2018 3:46:00 PM)

    This was an amazing piece of literature and I will be showing my students

    2 person liked.
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  • Mr.Lane (10/12/2018 3:45:00 PM)

    I love this piece of literature and I will be showing my students

    2 person liked.
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  • Mr.Kade (10/12/2018 3:44:00 PM)

    Liz is the worst student ever

    2 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Mr.Lane (10/12/2018 3:43:00 PM)

    This poem was Major

    1 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Abin. P (9/24/2018 9:36:00 AM)

    Outstanding poem.

    1 person liked.
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  • Shahina (7/28/2018 12:38:00 PM)

    It was really heart touching

    2 person liked.
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  • Shahina (7/28/2018 11:44:00 AM)

    It is really nice

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  • Sébastien Moguisso (7/18/2018 1:59:00 PM)

    This poème is very memorable to us. It help me have a reference for my study of American poetry

    1 person liked.
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  • Shivani (11/21/2017 9:14:00 AM)

    Your too good poet

    4 person liked.
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  • Printfromvintage Website Printfromvintage Website (2/22/2016 11:35:00 AM)

    We have found a never-before-seen rough draft of Emerson's famed poem FABLE. See it at: http: //printfromvintage.com/2016/02/16/found-a-handwritten-poem-by-ralph-waldo-emerson-in-a-book-from-1845/

    It was handwritten in the back of a book from 1845 and later published with a correction in his book POEMS in 1846.

    12 person liked.
    		5 person did not like.
Read all 14 comments »
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Best Poem of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fate

Deep in the man sits fast his fate
To mould his fortunes, mean or great:
Unknown to Cromwell as to me
Was Cromwell's measure or degree;
Unknown to him as to his horse,
If he than his groom be better or worse.
He works, plots, fights, in rude affairs,
With squires, lords, kings, his craft compares,
Till late he learned, through doubt and fear,
Broad England harbored not his peer:
Obeying time, the last to own
The Genius from its cloudy throne.
For the prevision is allied
Unto the thing so signified;
Or say, the foresight that awaits
Is...

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