Lately, my husband and I have been reading poetry together. Usually at the dinner table. We take turns reading a short poem out loud.
Poetry is the language of symbols. Depending on the type, it can elicit violent feelings and emotions. Or linger into your soul like a melancholy thought. Or it can inspire with its beauty and rhythm.
And it’s a great challenge as we tackle it like deciphering code. The more I study it, the more I get clarity. And often times, deeper meanings appear from the shadows.
We are currently reading the first-generation British Romantics: Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Blake.
Since we’re focusing on William Wordsworth, I wanted to share his poem, “I wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” I enjoy the juxtaposition of moods: lonely, solitude, jocund company, vacant, pensive, bliss, pleasure. These contrasts make the discovery of the playful, dancing daffodils more pronounced as I feel their magical, carefree presence.
Even when the wanderer was feeling melancholy and alone, the daffodils incited a more playful and childlike manner. Yes, that’s often the beauty of nature. Its simplicity and beauty can inspire and alter emotions. Remind us of the world dancing and breathing life around us.
Enjoy this poem.