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To A Brook

By John Clare

Topics: classic

Sweet brook! I've met thee many a summer's day,         And ventured fearless in thy shallow flood,         And rambled oft thy sweet unwearied way,         'Neath willows cool that on thy margin stood,         With crowds of partners in my artless play--         Grasshopper, beetle, bee, and butterfly--         That frisked about as though in merry mood         To see their old companion sporting by.         Sweet brook! life's glories then were mine and thine;         Shade clothed thy spring that now doth naked lie;         On thy white glistening sand the sweet woodbine         Darkened and dipt its flowers. I mark, and sigh,         And muse o'er troubles since we met the last,         Like two fond friends whose happiness is past.

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"Sweet brook! I've met thee many a summer's day,..."

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Author:John Clare

"Sweet brook! I've met thee many a summer's day,..." by John Clare

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

John Clare

About John Clare

John Clare (1793–1864) was an English poet known as the "peasant poet" for his humble origins. His nature poetry—including "I Am" and "Badger"—captures the English countryside with extraordinary precision and emotional honesty, and he is now recognized as one of the finest nature poets in the language.

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