What poetic technique does Henry Wadsworth Longfellow use in this excerpt from the poem "The Day Is Done"?

Question

The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.

Answer 1

In this excerpt from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Day Is Done," one prominent poetic technique used is imagery. Longfellow employs vivid imagery by painting a picture of the transition from day to night, comparing the arrival of darkness to a feather being gently wafted down from an eagle's flight. This not only evokes a visual image but also conveys a sense of softness and tranquility associated with evening's approach.

Additionally, there is also the use of simile in the line "As a feather is wafted downward," where the descent of darkness is directly compared to the gentle falling of a feather, enhancing the serenity of the scene.