Joy of the Morning ~ A Poem by Edwin Markham

Joy of the Morning: When Dawn Finds Its Voice

Sometimes joy arrives quietly, asking only that we notice—and listen.

Joy of the Morning

Edwin Markham

I hear you, little bird,
Shouting a-swing above the broken wall.
Shout louder yet: no song can tell it all.
Sing to my soul in the deep, still wood :
‘Tis wonderful beyond the wildest word:
I d tell it, too, if I could.

Oft when the white, still dawn
Lifted the skies and pushed the hills apart,
I’ve felt it like a glory in my heart
(The world s mysterious stir)
But had no throat like yours, my bird,
Nor such a listener.

Source

Reflection

Edwin Markham’s Joy of the Morning reminds us that joy does not always need grand announcements. Sometimes it comes as a small bird singing above a broken wall, or as a hush-filled dawn lifting the sky apart. The poet feels a deep inner glory but cannot give it voice the way the bird can. This poem gently affirms a universal truth: we often carry wonder inside us that words cannot fully express. Yet joy still exists—vivid, alive, and stirring the soul—even when it remains unspoken. Listening, rather than explaining, may be the truest way to honor it.

As you read this poem, ask yourself:

Where in your life have you felt quiet joy that words could not fully capture—and how might you learn simply to listen to it?