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Hymn

A poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) is best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, but he also wrote lyric poetry that reveals a more personal and reflective side. 'Hymn' was published in 1835 and is addressed to the Virgin Mary, expressing a speaker's trust in her presence through all circumstances — joy and sorrow, bright days and storms. Though Poe's own faith was complex and often questioned by scholars, this poem is a literary expression of devotion, not a theological argument. It is worth a young reader's time because it shows how poetry can hold both darkness and hope, and because it speaks to the universal human need for something steady when life is uncertain. This text reflects its era.

Band
Green · Independent readers, earlyTypical starting range: ages 9–11
Length
medium · about 720 words in 4 sections · 3 pictures
Source
The Complete Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Allan Poe
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 8 minutes at this band
Pause questions
2
Words to Know
8
Quick Check
10 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
2 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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Hymn at other bands

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Hymn

Edgar Allan Poe

medium · 507 words · also in Green

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