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Rate this poem:4.3 / 85 votes

William Wordsworth 1770 (Wordsworth House) – 1850 (Cumberland)

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
 
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
 
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
 
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

About this poem

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is a lyric poem by William Wordsworth. The poem describes the poet's experience of encountering a field of daffodils while taking a walk in the countryside. The sight of the beautiful and vibrant flowers, dancing in the breeze, brings joy and a sense of transcendence to the poet's lonely heart. The poem explores the power of nature to uplift the human spirit and highlights the significance of simple moments of natural beauty in our lives. It is often celebrated for its vivid imagery, rhythmic flow, and its exploration of the themes of nature, memory, and the imagination. 

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Modified by acronimous on June 21, 2023

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William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was the husband of Eva Bartok. more…

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Discuss the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud with the community...

49 Comments
  • waltonk405
    This is a beautiful piece of poetry
    LikeReply11 days ago
  • gumawajustinryan999
    Wonderful
    LikeReply18 days ago
  • apehoward1995
    Wow! I felt that joy fill my soul . Thankyou for such beautiful descriptive art.
    LikeReply25 days ago
  • nikogiammanco
    That last stanza—about lying on a couch, pensive moods, & the bliss of solitude—really struck a chord. Because, in my life so far, those moments of solitude truly represent the only times at which I can come close to replicating anything like solace. Life is so dang busy, and I feel like a part of this poem is an adult way of saying, "stop & smell the roses (well, daffodils in this case)," you know what I mean? 
    LikeReply 11 month ago
    • apehoward1995
      yes. I couldn't have said it better myself. I would love to read some of your work if you have any. I'm new here and still learning my way around.
      LikeReply25 days ago
  • nguyenphuocchautam
    The images in the poem are beautiful and vivid. I love it
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • Noddy
    One comment made about Wordsworth’s poem that I clearly recall when we discussed this in a poetry group at the local library was: “This is only maybe one step up from a Hallmark card.” I still disagree, but I now find it increasingly easier to acknowledge in what ways it might seem so to some modern readers.

    I think it’s the ta tum, ta tum, ta tum, ta tum of Wordsworth’s iambic tetrameter lines that have been copied endlessly over time and to less skilful effect. The Hallmark card comment should offer a note of caution to all of us who might want to explore using this meter ourselves in our own poems and have us re-read Wordsworth who shows us how it’s really done
     
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • Pruett1023
    Simply beautiful. I love it. Great poem. Keep up the good work.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • Shocam
    Beautiful.
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • Emile
    Oh how I love daffodils.
    LikeReply2 months ago
  • Ruthmahogany
    We'll find beauty in the seemingly simple things of life if we don't lose our awareness and maybe pay attention from time to time.
    LikeReply 12 months ago
  • Emile
    pretty
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • RhysHolmes
    Such a classic poem.
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • karlcfolkes
    A classical piece for all eternity.
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • JLane
    I have know this from a young age. Great poem.
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • kenya_s
    I feel like this but towards the rain!
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • Oceanloveisland
    It is lovely to remind us, and to honor other poets' writes, to be grateful for nature in places of despair. I once was very much touched by a lady helping a mother duck get her babies across a road that was off of a busy freeway in the city limits of Phoenix. 
    LikeReply 23 months ago
  • broly_i
    This reminds me of The Sound Of Silence!
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • Abbykesington
    The English country side with flowers dancing... beautiful.
    LikeReply 23 months ago
  • MaliMis1986
    I think you write very beautifully keep up the wonderful writing
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • vandhana_k
    Good
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • LatinX
    Beautiful poem.
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • amandak.45897
    Beautiful
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • nooshin
    one of the beauties of this poem is that it creates a perfect circle... It starts with daffodils (the real ones) and ends with daffodils (the thought of them)... thus creating a path for us to have a journey within... and aren't daffodils the symbol of introspection? wow! the tapestry of words, images and symbols is masterfully woven... 
    LikeReply 15 months ago
  • kem330
    Beautifully written!
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • stephenson_p
    This is a lovely read.
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • LatinX
    Beautifully written.
    LikeReply5 months ago
  • Paige123
    Love it!
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • vandhana_k
    Good detail.
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • nicole.musango
    Beautiful and understandable
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • LesleyJane
    Simply wonderful and simplistic in its deliverance. Bravo.
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • oliviaritota
    A solid piece!
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • ryan_wazhere
    Is this a reboot of The Sound Of Silence
    LikeReply7 months ago
  • cindya.85038
    Memorized this with my friend in 6th grade….my kids roll their eyes when I recite it on walks in the woods!!
    LikeReply7 months ago
  • Thewriter7
    Love how it takes the thought of that day and shares a whole other feeling
    LikeReply8 months ago
  • alanswansea18
    It amazes me how you come up with these poems.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • Giselavigil
    I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud is a masterpiece.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • alanswansea18
    I love how you think. It's rare. These days.
    LikeReply10 months ago
  • karlcfolkes
    Robin,
    Looked at your poetry collection just now and noticed they have a timeliness to them; a sense of presence of the moment and of reaching out to others. You are by nature a connector.
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • vandhana_k
    Good talk on details.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • vandhana_k
    Good time.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • yomihabib
    Beautiful piece!
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • kimba75
    A great poem. Lonely, but not alone with all the beautiful sights to see and think about.
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • jerrywlawrence2666
    Very Nice. I Hope 2 B As Prolific.
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • karlcfolkes
    What magical, artistic, lyrical control of meter and rhythm, of beat and measure, by the poetic genius and wordsmith, William Wordsworth
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • davidi.89730
    one of my favorite classic poems
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • karlcfolkes
    Every single word of this poem by William Wordsworth is so refreshingly worthwhile, composed by a master poet (pun intended).
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • luisestable1
    Much can be said about this famous and great poem, but he is looking back at the experience.
    This is a poem that marks what the romantic Wordsworth was all about. He wrote some of the best poems of the romantic poets. This one shows him at his greatest. It is a pleasure to read. 
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • rnadc
    Am I the only one who thought this famous poet's surname was more than a happy coincidence? No, that is really his name...
    LikeReply 12 years ago
  • nadidiie
    For artclass, I have to make a drawing inspired by this poem. It is so special and I can really relate to this poem.
    LikeReply 12 years ago

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