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 you forth again!
This plot of orchard-ground is ours;
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wing when they are weary;
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we were young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.
William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was an English romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the romantic age in English literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads (1798). Wordsworth's magnum opus is generally considered to be The Prelude, a semi-autobiographical poem of his early years that he revised and expanded a number of times. It was posthumously titled and published by his wife in the year of his death, before which it was generally known as "the poem to Coleridge". Wordsworth was made Poet Laureate in 1843.
You can read more if you click on his name below the poem.
Thank you - and William.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Sue :) I think William would be very happy we are enjoying his poetry after all these years.
DeleteAw, that is lovely. Butterflies are fascinating. I can watch them for hours.
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed Lux, and me also :)
DeleteHello Denise :=)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know this W. Wordsworth poem but it is truly beautiful. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed Sonjia :) Thank you!
DeleteThe poetry is so beautiful fitting for the butterfly image
ReplyDeleteHappy you think so, thank you Roentare :)
DeleteWhat a lovely poem and a beautiful photo to go with it.
ReplyDeleteI found the image of the butterfly and knew which poem I was going to pair it with. Glad you liked both. Thank you Ann :)
DeleteBeautiful poem and photo. Take care, have a great day and happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen and I wish you the same :)
DeleteSo lovely! You too have a wonderful day, Denise.
ReplyDeleteThank you Angie, you also :)
DeleteI had no idea all that was going on in this photo. I saw a butterfly at the pollen bar, drinking it up with out a straw.. ha ha... happy butterflies make a happy world for sure
ReplyDeleteThat is a great line, thanks Sandra :)
DeleteLovely! I don’t think I’ve heard this one before.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I am happy to have introduced it to you. Thanks Linda :)
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Denise.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Gigi, I enjoyed seeing yours :)
DeleteSuch a lovely poem and photograph.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Thank you Jan, much appreciated. All the best to you also :)
DeleteButterfly wings remind me of a stained glass window. Beautiful creatures they are. I will check the library for William Wordsworth poems. I will enjoy reading more of them. Thank you for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving .
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see that Betsy, a perfect description. Enjoy your reading and thank you :) You are very welcome and Happy Thanksgiving!
Deletesuch a lovely poem and wonderful image!! i hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Debbie, we had a lovely Thanksgiving and I hope you did also.
DeleteBeautiful poem Denise. Some people just have the knack.
ReplyDeleteVery true and Wordsworth certainly did :)
DeleteSo beautiful, Denise! Wordsworth was a master--love his work!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, he was a master! Thank you Martha Ellen :)
DeleteThis is so beautiful... poem and photo. I miss seeing monarchs here in Hawaii. We used to have a LOT of them when I was growing up, but now it's very rare.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad to read Kay. We really have to take care of them. Hopefully the monarchs will make a recovery :)
DeleteLovely poetry.
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed, thanks William :)
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