The Village Blacksmith

At Noble Forge we pride ourselves on crafting metal using the ancient art of blacksmithing that Longfellow refers to in his poem about the village blacksmith.

You can read stories of how Longfellow as a boy would watch the blacksmith working under a chestnut tree, hammering metal on the anvil.  He describes the life of the local blacksmith in his poem:

 

The Village Blacksmith

Under a spreading chestnut tree

The village smithy stands;

The smith, a might man is he,

With large and sinewy hands;

And the muscles of his brawney arms

Are strong as iron bands.

 

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,

His face is like the tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,

He earns what’er he can,

And looks the whole word in the face,

For he owes not any man.

 

Week in, week out, from morn till night,

You can hear the bellows blow;

You can hear him swing his might sledge,

With measure beat and slow,

Like a sexton ringing the village bell,

When the evening sun is low.

 

And children coming home from school

Look in the open door;

They love to see the flaming forge,

And hear the bellows roar.

And catch the flaming sparks that fly

Like chaff from a threshing floor.

 

He goes on Sunday to the church,

And sits among his boys;

He hears the parson pray and preach,

He hears his daughter’s voice,

Singing in the choir,

And it makes his heart rejoice.

 

It sounds to him like his mother’s voice,

Singing in Paradise!

He needs must think of her once more,

How in the grave she lies;

And with his hard, rough hands he wipes

A tear out of his eyes.

 

Toiing, — rejoicing, — sorrowing,

Onward in life he goes;

Each morning sees some task begin,

Each evening sees it close;

Something attempted, something done,

Has earned his night’s repose.

 

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,

For the lesson thou has taught!

Thus at the flaming forge of life

Our fortunes must be wrought;

Thus on its sounding anvil shaped

Each burning deed and thought

–           Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

At Noble Forge we may not be working under a spreading chestnut tree but it still takes muscles and brawn to forge iron.  It takes sweat and hard work to make a living as a blacksmith today, just as it did over one hundred years ago.  The sledge is heavy, the forge has flames and an anvil is used to shape the metal.  Shaping metal over an anvil using a forge continues to be a craft to be admired and many can appreciate the historic preservation of such an art.

Today’s Artist Blacksmith continues to prove to be the source of many unique forms of metal artwork that will stand the test of time and will become a legacy for tomorrow.  Noble Forge  using the art of blacksmithing is able to incorporate a design vision into pieces that provide the esthetics , function, and texture required by todays projects.  Grand gates, beautiful furniture, and graceful architectural elements in homes and buildings have redefined the blacksmith as an artist for all ages.  Perhaps, just as Longfellow, you too appreciate the work of a blacksmith.  If you are interested in a custom piece of iron, contact Noble Forge.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth “The Village Blacksmith” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [online resource], PoemHunter.com, Accessed March 31, 2014. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-village-blacksmith/