Henry W. Longfellow was once the American rock star, and his epic poems were songs that were loved the world over by children and adults. This one celebrates a story from the history of colonial America as Longfellow often did. It was first published as part of a larger collection Longfellow titled Tales of a Wayside Inn which was released in three installments between 1863 and 1873. The Poet's Tale reproduced here was included in "part second" and appears to have been completed in 1871. The book was said to have sold out of 15,000 copies on the first day of its release.