Sunday, October 28, 2012

William Wordsworth/Dorothy Wordsworth

 From William Wordsworth:
...All at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee
To this entry from Dorothy's journal:
When we were in the woods beyond Gowbarrow park we saw a few daffodils close to the water side. We fancied that the lake had floated the seeds ashore and that the little colony had so sprung up. But as we went along there were more and yet more and at last under the boughs of the trees, we saw that there was a long belt of them along the shore, about the breadth of a country turnpike road. I never saw daffodils so beautiful they grew among the mossy stones about and about them, some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness and the rest tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them over the lake, they looked so gay ever glancing ever changing. This wind blew directly over the lake to them. There was here and there a little knot and a few stragglers a few yards higher up but they were so few as not to disturb the simplicity and unity and life of that one busy highway.
 
I like the poem and I also like what his sister wrote describing the exact same view. (The simplicity, the beauty...the life!)   I am still looking for the comparison of their writings about the view of Westminster Bridge in London.  Perhaps I was thinking of this, and just imagined how Dorothy Wordsworth would describe that poem in her own way.  Sometimes, my imagination plants ideas and facts into my mind that are not based on reality.  If anyone does find what I am speaking about, then I would really love it if you would let me know!  Thanks, GB, for starting a lively discussion and appreciation of the poetry of Williams Wordsworth.  And thanks to Chris for having that poem in one of the comments.  (See my last post if you have not read it yet!)

The only bridge I have seen lately is the covered bridge at Stone Mountain Lake and it might not be famous, but I think William Wordsworth, and his sister, Dorothy, would both like it.  I know I do.  Years ago, I memorized the last stanza of the Daffodils poem, simply because I loved it so...

For oft, when on my couch I lie,
in vacant or in pensive mood,
they flash upon that inward eye,
which is the bliss of solitude.
And then, my heart with pleasure fills,
and dances with the daffodils.

41 comments:

  1. Kay, I loved this post. Great photo. Smiles, Susie

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    1. Thank you so much, Susie! My dear hubby took the photo! Hope you have a great week! xx

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  2. That is a lovely photo, Kay! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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    1. Hello Kay!
      So happy you like it. :-)
      And I am so TICKLED to see your comment here! Hope you are doing well, please come back and visit soon! I miss you! xx

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  3. Kay- This is just a lovely post. I love the pictures AND the prose. I am back from my blogging break and glad to find you posted today- xo Diana

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    1. Dear Diana,
      Oh, you are a woman after my heart! Thank you so much!
      I am so glad you are back after your break, I need you around to make my day! xx

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  4. One of the truly great and immortal poems of the English language!

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    1. Dear Debra,
      And I am pleased to have it here for you!
      I might not be a poet but I know a good one when I see one! (Or read one, rather!)

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  5. That is beautiful, dear Kay! It's the kind of writing where you can tell there was time to observe and think and record. It inspires me to slow down, take a breath and notice the world around me... I hope you are doing well!! Love, Silke

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    1. Dear Silke,
      That is so true. We need to see more of our natural world beyond all the machinery. I am always doing better when I see your smiling face! :-)

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  6. It would be interesting to put as many of his poems as possible next to her prose about the same or similar experiences or topics. That's a book i would devour.

    Lovely, tranquil scene there.

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    1. I agree, I would read a book like that with great pleasure.
      That is my sweet husband's photography, of course!

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  7. Kay, you might enjoy http://abritintn.blogspot.com/. Like you, she enjoys nature, poetry, and takes beautiful photos.

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    1. Thanks, Terry! I do like her! She has such beautiful photos on her wonderful blog. I am one of her many followers. xx

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  8. Love the poem and the prose...so fun to read about something from 2 perspectives..both lovely reading! Your pic is great! It could be the covered bridge in the state park near our home. Have a good week!

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    1. Thanks! And take a photo of your covered bridge! I love them, in long ago times, they were called "kissing bridges", since you could be hidden from sight and steal a kiss from your sweetie!
      Richard took the photo, of course!

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  9. One of the first challenges our English professor set us was to explain what Wordsworth meant when he said "..The child is father of the man". An intriguing concept, I think.

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    1. Dear Chris,
      And what would you say that he means by that? Thanks again for having the poem in your last comment and thanks for this comment too!

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  10. His poem on Westminster Bridge would be different today!

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    1. Oh boy, I would wonder what he would make of London today! The same lovely light though, that doesn't change!

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  11. Beautiful photo, so serene and still. That poem is one of the first I ever remember hearing.

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    1. Ah, it is a very serene image, isn't it? It was an overcast quiet morning, hardly anyone around. It was a lovely day.
      And I am happy that you like this poem too!

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  12. ... we left London on Saturday morning at ½ past 5 or 6, the 31st July (I have forgot which) we mounted the Dover Coach at Charing Cross. It was a beautiful morning. The City, St pauls, with the River & a multitude of little Boats, made a most beautiful sight as we crossed Westminster Bridge. The houses were not overhung by their cloud of smoke & they were spread out endlessly, yet the sun shone so brightly with such a pure light that there was even something like the purity of one of nature's own grand Spectacles ”
    —Dorothy Wordsworth, The Grasmere Journal, Saturday 31st July 1802 [1]

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    1. I LOVE THAT YOU FOUND THIS!
      Thank you so much for finding this and putting this on here for me! I cannot thank you enough! For a sulky kitten, you are so sweet! xx
      There, you see, I didn't imagine it. "Such a pure light", yes, I can remember the light from early morning in England and I think I can understand it.

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  13. I find it impossible to look at all the daffodils along the lanes in the spring without thinking 'a host, of golden daffodils.'

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    1. Dear Tracey,
      Yes! I think of the exact same thing! xx

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  14. I always think of this poem when our daffodils are blooming, think I enjoyed sister Dorothy's "Blog" even more.

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    1. Dear Carol,
      Thank you! I love poetry, don't you?

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  16. I keep meaning to read Dorothy's journal. I have a lovely little copy bought in England in 1971. Wouldn't you think I would have read it by now?!!
    And have you ever seen Maxine Kumin's poem about Dorothy and William? I love it! If not, I posted it once.

    http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2008/08/todays-poem-by-maxine-kumin.html

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    1. Dear Nan,
      What, you haven't read it? Honey, I don't think you should, you just need to mail that on down to Georgia, don't you think? HA HA, just kidding!
      I don't know that poem but I will now! Thanks!

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    1. Dear Kate,
      Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked this too! xx

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  19. Thank you, Kay...I enjoyed both William's and Dorothy's lovely words! I can so readily envision those dancing daffodils.

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    1. Dear Beth,
      And I think that I know that they would make your heart dance too! :-)

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  20. "Some rested their heads upon these stones as a pillow for weariness...."

    I love that. :)

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  21. Lovely poem, lovely post, love the bridge. Daffodils and kissing bridges? How fun!

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    1. Thanks, Connie! I had fun with all the comments on this one! Glad you liked it too. xx

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