Daffodils
By William Wordsworth
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.
Introduction to the Poet
William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a major English Romantic poet who, along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped launch the Romantic Age in English literature. Born in the Lake District of northern England, Wordsworth developed a deep love for nature from an early age. This connection to the natural world became central to his poetry. Wordsworth believed that nature could teach humanity important moral lessons and provide spiritual experiences. He became England’s Poet Laureate in 1843 and is remembered for his ability to find extraordinary meaning in ordinary experiences and his celebration of the beauty of the natural world. His simple language and focus on everyday subjects helped make poetry more accessible to regular readers.
About the Poem
“Daffodils” (also known as “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”) is one of William Wordsworth’s most famous poems, written in 1804 and published in 1807. The poem was inspired by an actual walk Wordsworth took with his sister Dorothy near Ullswater lake in England’s Lake District, where they came upon a long belt of daffodils. This simple experience of seeing beautiful flowers transformed into a profound moment that continued to bring the poet joy long afterward. The poem celebrates the beauty of nature and its lasting impact on our well-being. It also illustrates Wordsworth’s belief that memories of nature can provide comfort and happiness even when we’re away from it. Through vivid imagery and musical language, the poem shows how a brief encounter with natural beauty can become a lasting treasure in our minds.
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