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To Poesy.

By John Clare

Topics: classic

O sweetly wild and 'witching Poesy!     Thou light of this world's hermitage I prove thee;     And surely none helps loving thee that knows thee,     A soul of feeling cannot help but love thee.     I would say how thy secret wonders move me,     Thou spell of loveliness!--but 'tis too much:     Had I the language of the gods above me     I might then venture thy wild harp to touch,     And sing of all thy thrilling pains and pleasures;     The flowers I meet in this world's wilderness;     The comforts rising from thy spell-bound treasures,     Thy cordial balm that softens my distress:     I would say all, but thou art far above me;     Words are too weak, expression can't be had;     I can but say I love, and dearly love thee,     And that thou cheer'st me when my soul is sad.

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Author:John Clare

"O sweetly wild and 'witching Poesy!..." 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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