The early poems of John Clare :: :: University of Virginia Library

Hail humble Helpstone where thy valies spread
& thy mean Village lifts its lowly head
Unknown to grandeur & unknown to fame
No minstrel boasting to advance thy name
Unletterd spot unheard in poets song
Where bustling labour drives the hours along
Where dawning genius never met the day
Where usless ign'rance slumbers life away
Unknown nor heeded where low genius trys
Above the vulgar & the vain to rise
Whose low opinions rising thoughts subdues
Whose railing envy damps each humble view
Oh where can friendships cheering smiles abode
To guide young wanderers on a doubtful road

157

The trembling hand to lead, the steps to guide
& each vain wish (as reason proves) to chide—
Mysterious fate who can on thee depend
Thou opes the hour but hides its doubtful end
In fancys view the joys have long appear'd
Where the glad heart by laughing plentys cheer'd
& fancys eyes as oft as vainly fill
At first but doubtful & as doubtful still

So little birds in winters frost & snow
Doom'd (like to me) wants keener frost to know
Searching for food & ‘better life’ in vain
(Each hopeful track the yielding snows retain)
First on the ground each fairy dream pursues
Tho sought in vain—yet bent on higher views
Still chirps & hopes & wipes each glossy bill
Nor undiscourag'd nor dishartn'd still
Hops on the snow cloth'd bough & chirps again
Heedless of naked shade & f[r]ozen plain
With fruitles hopes each little bosom warms
Springs budding promise—summers plentious charms
A universal hope the whole prevades
& chirping plaudits fill the chilling shades

158

Till warm'd at once the vain deluded flies
& twitatwit their visions as they rise
Visions like mine that vanish as they flye
In each keen blast that fills the higher skye
Who find like me along their weary way
Each prospect lessen & each hope decay
& like to me these victims of the blast
(Each foolish fruitless wish resign'd at last)
Are glad to seek the place from whence they went
& put up with distress & be content—

Hail scenes obscure so near & dear to me
The church the brook the cottage & the tree
Still shall obscurity reherse the song
& hum your beauties as I stroll along
Dear native spot which length of time endears
The sweet retreat of twenty lingering years
& oh those years of infancy the scene
Those dear delights where once they all have been
Those golden days long vanish'd from the plain
Those sports those pastimes now belovd in vain
When happy youth in pleasures circle ran
Nor thought what pains awaited future man
No other thought employing or employ'd
But how to add to happiness enjoy'd
Each morning wak'd with hopes before unknown
& eve possesing made each wish their own
The day gone bye left no pursuit undone
Nor one vain wish save that they went too soon
Each sport each pastime ready at their call
As soon as wanted they posses'd em all
These joys all known in happy infancy
& all I ever knew where spent on thee

159

& who but loves to view where these where past
& who that views but loves em to the last
Feels his heart warm to view his native place
A fondness still those past delights to trace
The vanish'd green to mourn the spot to see
Where flourish'd many a bush & many a tree
Where once the brook (for now the brook is gone)
Oer pebbles dimpling sweet went wimpering on
Oft on whose oaken plank I've wondering stood
(That led a pathway o'er its gentle flood)
To see the beetles their wild mazes run
With getty jackets glittering in the sun
So apt & ready at their reels they seem
So true the dance is figur'd on the stream
Such justness such correctness they impart
They seem as ready as if taught by art
In those past days (for then I lov'd the shade)
How oft I've sighd at alterations made
To see the woodmans cruel axe employ'd
A tree beheaded or a bush destroy'd
Nay e'en a post (old standards) or a stone
Moss'd o'er by age & branded as her own
Would in my mind a strong attachment gain
A fond desire that there they might remain
& ah old favourites fond taste approves
Griev'd me at heart to witness their remove[s]

Thou far fled pasture long evanish'd scene
Where nature's freedom spread the flowry green

160

Where golden kingcups open'd in to view
Where silver dazies charm'd the 'raptur'd view
& tottering hid amidst those brighter gems
Where silver grasses bent their tiny stems
Where the pale lilac mean & lowly grew
Courting in vain each gazer[s] heedless view
While Cows laps sweetest flowers upon the plain
Seeminly bow'd to shun the hand in vain
Where lowing oxen roamd to feed at large
& bleeting there the shepherds woolly charge
Whose constant calls thy echoing vallies cheer'd
Thy scenes adornd & rural life endeard
No calls of hunger pitys feelings wound
Twas wanton plenty rais'd the joyful sound
Thy grass in plenty gave the wish'd supply
Ere sultry sun's had wak'd the troubling flye
Then blest retiring by thy bounty fed
They sought thy shades & found an easy bed

But now alas those scenes exist no more
The pride of Life with thee (like mine) is oer
Thy pleasing spots to which fond memory clings
Sweet cooling shades & soft refreshing springs
& tho fates pleas'd to lay their beauties bye
In a dark corner of obscurity

161

As fair & sweet they blo[o]m'd thy plains among
As blooms those Edens by the poets sung
Now all laid waste by desolations hand
Whose cursed weapons levels half the land
Oh who could see my dear green willows fall
What feeling heart but dropt a tear for all
Accursed wealth oer bounding human laws
Of every evil thou remains the cause
Victims of want those wretches such as me
Too truly lay their wretchedness to thee
Thou art the bar that keeps from being fed
& thine our loss of labour & of bread
Thou art the cause that levels every tree
& woods bow down to clear a way for thee

Sweet rest & peace ye dear departed Charms
Which once Industry cherish'd in her arms
When peace & plenty known but now to few
Where known to all & labour had his due
When mirth & toil companions thro' the day
Made labour light & pass'd the hours away
When nature made the fields so dear to me
Thin scattering many a bush & many a tree
Where the wood minstrels sweetly join'd among
& cheer'd my needy toilings with a song

162

Ye perishd spots adieu ye ruind scenes
Ye well known pastures oft frequented greens
Tho now no more—fond memory's pleasing pains
Within her breast your every scene retains
Scarce did a bush spread its romantic bower
To shield the lazy shepherd from the shower
Scarce did a tree befriend the chattering pye
By lifting up its head so proud & high
(Whose nest stuck on the topmost bough sublime
Mocking the efforts of each boy to climb
Oft as they've fill'd my vain desiring eye
As oft in vain my skill essay'd to try)
Nor bush nor tree within thy vallies grew
When a mischevious boy but what I knew
No not a secret spot did then remain
Through out each spreading wood & winding plain
But in those days my presence once posest
The snail horn searching or the mossy nest

Oh happy Eden of those golden years
Which memory cherishes & use endears
Thou dear beloved spot may it be thine
To add a comfort to my life[s] decline
When this vain world & I have nearly done
& times drain'd glass has little left to run

163

When all the hopes that charm'd me once are oer
To warm my soul in extacys no more
By dissapointments prov'd a foolish cheat
Each ending bitter & beginning sweet
When weary age the grave a r[e]scue seeks
& prints its image on my wrinkl'd cheeks
Those charms of youth that I again may see
May it be mine to meet my end in thee
& as reward for all my troubles past
Find one hope true to die at home at last

So when the Traveller uncertain roams
On lost roads leading every where but home
Each vain desire that leaves his heart in pain
Each fruitless hope to cherish it in vain
Each hated track so slowly left behind
Makes for the home which night denies to find
& every wish that leaves the aching breast
Flies to the spot where all its wishes rest