Monday, March 7, 2011

There Is A Charm In Solitude That Cheers (John Clare)








There is a charm in Solitude that cheers
A feeling that the world knows nothing of
A green delight the wounded mind endears
After the hustling world is broken off
Whose whole delight was crime at good to scoff
Green solitude his prison pleasure yields
The bitch fox heeds him not -- birds seem to laugh
He lives the Crusoe of his lonely fields
Which dark green oaks his noontide leisure shields





John Clare poem composed before 1856; First published 1949
From John Clare -- Selected Poetry and Prose. Methuen, London, 1986 (ed. Merryn and Raymond Williams).

More on this here.
And here. 
Finally here. 

2 comments:

  1. tumbld here...

    http://devolve.tumblr.com/post/7322147995/there-is-a-charm-in-solitude-that-cheers-a

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  2. Thank you for visiting. I wish I had been able to anticipate your arrival by providing flowers, champagne and all the rest. I have friends from the NW UK (Lancashire), but most of my time has been spent and my friends reside in the south and in Scotland. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this visit, that you visit again soon and that you stay in touch. Syd Barrett and John Clare fans need each other. Greetings from southeastern Pennsylvania, Curtis

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