Thinking Thursday: William Wordsworth

I loved my college education. I loved learning about Romantic poetry from England, Ireland and Scotland. In fact, my only real regret I have is not going on a British literary tour with my college. It was only $2,000, but that seemed like a lot to a 20 year old college girl who made around $400 a month!

I love William Wordsworth. He was a wonderful, creative, insightful poet. He was so close to nature and God and could really appreciate trials and tragedies, as he lost many relatives to different illnesses. My favorite poem by him is called, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud". I love his use of imagery in this poem. The last stanza (paragraph) concludes with him saying, he is grateful for beautiful experiences that he can look upon later and think about with happiness. I just love this picture!

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When 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: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed---and gazed---but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: 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. This is the picture I am most familiar of. Doesn't he just look smart?! Someday I will make it to England and see his house and I can't wait! Is anyone else a poetry person? Any favorites out there?