"Hope" is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm
I've heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea
Yet - never - in Extremity
It asked a crumb - of me.