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To An Early Butterly.

By John Clare

Topics: classic

Thrice welcome here again, thou flutt'ring thing,     That gaily seek'st about the opening flower,     And opest and shutt'st thy gaudy-spangled wing     Upon its bosom in the sunny hour;     Fond grateful thoughts from thy appearance spring:     To see thee, Fly, warm me once more to sing     His universal care who hapt thee down,     And did thy winter-dwelling please to give.     That Being's smiles on me dampt winter's frown,     And snatch'd me from the storm, and bade me live.     And now again the welcome season's come,     'Tis thine and mine, in nature's grateful pride,     To thank that God who snatch'd us from the tomb,     And stood our prop, when all gave way beside.

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"Thrice welcome here again, thou flutt'ring thing,..."

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Author:John Clare

"Thrice welcome here again, thou flutt'ring thing,..." 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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