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SUNRISE ON THE HILLS BY H W LONGFELLOW, , “Sunrise on the Hills” is a didactic poem by famous American Romantic poet H.W, , Longfellow. It is really a celebration of the healing power of Nature. It presents the, experience of the poet as he watches the sunrise amidst the hills. Throughout the, poem, he compares the sun to a knight and nature to his sweet heart, the princess., The poem begins with the description of the glorious returning march of the sun. The, poet witnesses this from the top of the hill. The sun’s glory is now unveiled. The poet, feels that the soft wind has passed to kiss the valley. The clouds have gathered, midway round the wooded height. They appear like an army overpowered in the battle., The peaks were visible above the grey mist. Leafless pines were seen rocking on the, cliff. The river’s flow was darkened by the forest’s shade. The noisy bittern circled in, the sky. The poet heard the waters dashing in the distance. He saw the whirls and, flash of the current. The tree branches were bending in the blue lake’s silver, beach. The music of the village bell was echoing sweetly from the hills. The wild, horn’s voice filled the whole wood land. Thus this poem abounds in visual imagery,, auditory imagery and kinesthetic imagery., Watching the sunrise on the hills leaves a profound and soothing effect on the poet, and the poem mends with a piece of advice to the readers. Whenever you are, surrounded by the sorrows of life go to the woods and hills. Nature has everything in it, to keep your heart joyful., This poem is really a subjective poem in which the speaker shares his own feelings, and perceptions. The poem makes use of several poetic devices. It also abounds in, images. The prominent one is the use of military image. It highlights the paradox in the, poem. Man seeking solace from nature which itself is a battlefield. The first stanza, abounds in visual imagery whereas the second stanza has numerous auditory images., The rhyme words and alliteration used in the poem enhance its lyrical quality. It, employs poetic devices like oxymoron (Soft gales) and transferred epithet (noisy, bittern wheeled his spiral way). The simile in the line “Clouds in their fading glory, shone like hosts in battle overthrown’ suggests the military air of the poem., The speaker returned to nature when he had a tough time and advises us to do the, same when we confront with difficulties in life.