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To Health.

By John Clare

Topics: classic

Hail, soothing balm! Ye breezes blow,     Ransack the flower and blossom'd tree;     All, all your stolen gifts bestow,     For Health has granted all to me.     And may this blessing long be mine,     May I this favour still enjoy;     Then never shall my heart repine,     Nor yet its long continuance cloy.     And though I cannot boast, O Health!     Of aught beside, but only thee;     I would not change this bliss for wealth,     No, not for all the eye can see.     Wealth without thee is useless made,     Void of the smallest happy spark;     Yes, just as useless to give aid,     As mirrors set to light the dark.     Thy voice I hear, thy form I see,     In silence, echo, stream, or cloud;     Now, that strong voice belongs to thee     Which woods and hills repeat so loud.     The leaf, the flower, the spiry blade,     The hanging drops of pearly dew,     The russet heath, the woodland shade,     All, all can bring thee in my view.     With thee I seek the woodland shade     Beset in briery wilds among;     With thee I tread the tufted glade,     Transported by the woodlark's song.     With thee I wander where the sheep     In groups display a checquer'd train,     Where weedy waters winding creep;     Nor wilt thou fallow-clod disdain.     Then hail, sweet charm! Ye breezes blow,     Ransack the flower and blossom'd tree;     All, all your stolen gifts bestow,     For Health has granted all to me.

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"Hail, soothing balm! Ye breezes blow,..."

This evocative piece by John Clare, titled "To Health.", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:John Clare

"Hail, soothing balm! Ye breezes blow,..." 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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