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34th out of 185 books
—
185 voters
The Works of William Wordsworth (Wordsworth Collection)
The Wordsworth Poetry Library comprises the works of the greatest English-speaking poets, as well as many lesser-known poets. Each collection has a specially commissioned introduction.
Paperback, 928 pages
Published
December 5th 1999
by NTC/Contemporary Publishing Company
(first published 1959)
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Before I read this book, Daffodils was my favourite Wordsworth poem.
Now, after reading 900 pages of Wordsworth, Daffodils is still my favourite of his poems!
Though, now I have a second favourite. Here it is:
To A Butterfly
I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls yo...more
Now, after reading 900 pages of Wordsworth, Daffodils is still my favourite of his poems!
Though, now I have a second favourite. Here it is:
To A Butterfly
I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls yo...more
I did not like the first poem in this anthology (Guilt and Sorrow) at all. It wouldn't have been too bad if it wasn't so tediously long, though. The poem proceeding Guilt and Sorrow (We Are Seven), however, I really liked. I could not bring myself to read 'The Idiot Boy' as it was just too long from the outset (I hadn't forgiven Wordsworth for wasting my time with 'Guilt and Sorrow' yet). 'To a Skylark' and 'To Sleep' were mildly enjoyable.
In the front of my book (it isn't this one, the one I had dates from 1970, but it was a 'works') I've put 'This horrible book belongs to Alan Beard', so I obviously didn't like it at the time (read for 'O' level). However I've changed my mind since...
"I wandered lonely as a cloud" was the first line of poetry that spoke to me personally. My first introduction to poetry were psalms: Bible and Shakespeare. Then I ran across this poem and it changed my reading life forever.
Jun 17, 2011
Maryjane
is currently reading it
absolutely brilliant especially his ode about immortality.
Nov 04, 2010
Wangdi Sherpa
is currently reading it
nope it is a good and favourite book of mine
Jun 06, 2011
Akshat Soni
added it
its the life of william wordsworth
Abosolutely magnificent!
very beautiful.
I don't much like poetry. And I know that is true, but I stubbornly insisted on finishing this nearly 700-page book, mostly for personal reasons. And I did enjoy coming across the poem that Polly gets trapped in in "The Eyre Affair."
A charming little book with some of Wordsworth's best poetry. Highly recommended for any fan of the Romantics or Lakeland poets.
I wandered lonely as a cloud, Tintern Abbey, Resolution and Independence
May 18, 2013
Suraj Roy
added it
May 15, 2013
Patricia
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Jawad Ur
marked it as to-read
May 13, 2013
Anna
marked it as to-read
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William Wordsworth was a major English romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their 1798 joint publication, Lyrical Ballads.
Wordsworth's masterpiece is generally considered to be The Prelude, an autobiographical poem of his early years which the poet revised and expanded a number of times. The work was posthumously titled and publ...more
More about William Wordsworth...
Wordsworth's masterpiece is generally considered to be The Prelude, an autobiographical poem of his early years which the poet revised and expanded a number of times. The work was posthumously titled and publ...more
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“Surprised by joy- impatient as the Wind
I turned to share the transport-- Oh! with whom
But thee, deep buried in the silent tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind--
But how could I forget thee? Through what power,
Even for the least division of an hour,
Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
To my most grievous loss? -- That thought's return
Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
Knowing my heart's best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore.”
—
6 people liked it
I turned to share the transport-- Oh! with whom
But thee, deep buried in the silent tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind--
But how could I forget thee? Through what power,
Even for the least division of an hour,
Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
To my most grievous loss? -- That thought's return
Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
Knowing my heart's best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore.”
“Now, in this blank of things, a harmony,
Home-felt, and home-created,comes to heal
That grief for which the senses still supply
Fresh food; for only then, when memory
Is hushed, am I at rest. My Friends! restrain those busy cares that would allay my pain;
Oh! Leave me to myself, nor let me feel
The officious touch that makes me droop again.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Home-felt, and home-created,comes to heal
That grief for which the senses still supply
Fresh food; for only then, when memory
Is hushed, am I at rest. My Friends! restrain those busy cares that would allay my pain;
Oh! Leave me to myself, nor let me feel
The officious touch that makes me droop again.”
