Reading the Classics discussion

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
  Outdid 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.

Dorothy Wordsworth's journal entry regarding the inspiration for the poem.
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*Excerpt 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 seed ashore and that the little colony had so sprung up. But as we went along there were more and 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 dancing 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. We rested again and again. The Bays were stormy, and we heard the waves at different distances and in the middle of the water like the sea'. 

Dorothy Wordsworth, The Grasmere Journal - Thursday 15 April 1802

Thanks for sharing! This is a very delicate and beautiful poem.

lovely!

So glad you all liked it.

Thank you. I've always loved this poem, but Dorothy's background brings it to life even more. I needed to read this today.

Glad I posted the background Hilary. I didn't know it either.

It reminded me of my college days. Thanks for sharing

Sorry Barbara, you were the one who posted the background not Dorothy W.!

No problem...so glad you enjoyed it.

At some point in either Jr High or High School (too close to a half a century ago now!) we were made to memorize a poem and recite it to the class. This is the poem that I memorized and it has stayed with me all these years. It was fun to see it here and to read a bit about how it came to be. A beautiful little poem.

Karen, I'm so glad I chose to post this particular poem. It seems to have had a positive response. I love poetry! Memorizing it is quite a feat. Not easy but once done it does stay with you forever.
Glad you enjoyed the background info too.