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

The early poems of John Clare

1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger

Clare, John (1793-1864)

Volume I

II.

Volume II

The Village Minstrel and other poems

HOME

POVERTY

NARRATIVE VERSES WRITTEN AFTER AN EXCURSION FROM HELPSTON TO BURGHLEY PARK

THE WOOD-CUTTERS NIGHT SONG

IMPROMTU ON FINDING A BIRDS NEST

SHIPWRECKD GHOST

BALLAD

ADDRESS TO MY FATHER AFTER RECIEVING AN EASY CHAIR FROM THE RIGHT HON LADY—

SONNET

SONG

HOLLYWELL

DESCRIPTION OF A THUNDER STORM

AFTER READING IN A LETTER PROPOSALS FOR BUILDING A COTTAGE

TO CAPTAIN SHERWILL JUN.

TO A RED CLOVER BLOSSOM

TO A METHODIST PARSON AFTER HEARING HE HAD SPOKEN VERY ROUGHLY IN MY BELIEF OF GHOSTS &C

BALLAD

EXPRESSION

IMPROMTU AT THE SIGHT OF SPRING

Sports of the Village

WRITTEN IN APRIL AT WALK LODGE

RECCOLECTIONS AFTER A RAMBLE

SONG

MILTON HUNT

THE LABOURERS PASSING SIGH

[O why was love sent here to kill]

AN AFTER REPENTANCE

ROSEY JANE

TO ---

SORROWS FOR A FAVOURITE TABBY CAT WHO LEFT THIS SCENE OF TROUBLES FRIDAY NIGHT NOV. 26 1819

BALLAD

TO THE CLOUDS

TO A BOWER

AFTER HEARING A LADY SING ‘BANKS O' DOON’

AFTER READING A FLATTERING PRAISE ON THE GRAVE STONE OF AN OLD TRANSGRESSOR

WOMAN

TO A DEAD TREE

ON SEEING A PICTURE OF SACRED CONTEMPLATION

EVENING BELLS

TO POESY

ROBS TERRORS OF NIGHT OR COURTING ON ASS BACK (a)

THE LOVERS JOURNEY (b)

CHILDISH RECOLLECTIONS

AFTER A FINE WINTERS DAY

AFTER HEARING A LADY PLAY THE MUSICAL GLASSES

IN HELPSTONE CHURCH YARD

TO AN HOUR GLASS

THE REQUEST

TO MY MOTHER

AFTER HEARING RURAL RYHMES OF W.H. PRAISD BY A LADY

WRITTEN ON A BIRTHDAY 20 YEAR

RECOLLECTIONS AFTER AN EVENING WALK

TO ---

A SIGH IN A PLAY GROUND OF INFANCY

‘O SWEET IS LOVE’

SECOND ADRESS TO THE ROSE BUD IN HUMBLE LIFE

A LOOK AT THE HEAVENS

TO AN ANGRY BEE

JEWEL OF ALL

TO ---

& She Vowd She Woud Never Be Mine

TO A CITY GIRL

MAID OF WARE

SUMMER TINTS

[If beauty be fading it charmeth the heart]

TO AN EARLY BUTTERFLYE

TO AN INFANT DAUGHTER

IMITATION OF ‘SAD WAS THE HOUR’ &C &C

BALLAD

POOR SOLDIER

[O days of youth to me ye are so dear]

[Who that looks upon thee love]

SONNET

TO THE LASS OF THE VALLEY

BALLADS

DRINKING SONG

BALLAD

EXTEMPORE ON AN ALE WIFES OVER BOILD MEAT

THE LINGERING ROSE

[O I sings the top name of all salleys]

ANOTHER

LABOURERS SOLILOQUY ON DEAD DOBBIN

SONG

THE WILD FLOWER NOSGAY

TO LORD RADSTOCK

WOMAN

[Spring of life fare ye well I have tasted your sweetness]

[Learning may polish up love wi fine feelings]

[Thousands of miles have I gangd heavy hearted]

[No grandeur here wi affections shew]

[Loves recollections is like the spring morning]

IMPROMTU

SONG

[Turn again thou sweet beguiling]

NOON

[Give me the hour that puts to bed]

[Leave the door in peace man]

AUTUMN

[Springs flushing bud has opend into leaf]

[Steal my sweet bessy from racket & dancing]

BALLAD

[Three suns had gilt the cottage top]

[The spring has brought its blessing love]

[Blow on ye winds till yer breath it is broken]

SONG

THE IRISH EMIGRANT

[When I met wi her I coud wish for my own]

[& let pity find an odd penny good neeghbours]

[Ill neer walk at even Jim]

SONG

[Ye maidens that sunshine of beauty is warming]

[So soon in the morning, love were are ye toiling]

[O bonney lass of harrow lea]

A KISS

[Were woodbines are wreathing & zephers are breathing]

(a)

(b)

[Theres some with a bottle will rub off the thorn]

O SAY NOT LOVE

THE CRAZY MAID

[What power again bids grasses grow]

SONG

O LOVE

SPRING

[Scenes of sweet feelings ye trees & ye bushes]

SLIGHTED LOVES LAST ADDRESS TO HIS MISTRESS

[O nature thou art sweet I oft did steal]

MEADOWHAMSTEAD FAIR

[Theres not a pleasure half so blest]

TO THE MEMORY OF KEATS

ON ---

[Her cheeks did like the roseys glow]

THE LADY FLYE

MARTINMASS EVE

ADDRESS TO TIME

[I urge no muse new terrors to impart]

[The eve winds of autumn blow chilly & hollow]

[If one summers day ye will bid care adieu love]

[When dews pearl the blossom]

[Where on bridge wall or gate or trees smooth bark]

WINTER

HOPE

TO AUTUMN

[As lingers winter oer the forward spring]

[How eager does he eddy round]

BALLAD

SONG

[O even tide o even tide]

‘BUTTON CAP’

[Stingo white froathing oer the polisht can]

MY HAT

ADDRESS TO A COPY OF ‘CLARES POEMS’ SENT O. GILCHRIST ESQR

[To wish thee anguish worse then hell]

[Dear native spot though nought to thee is given]

RICH AND POOR; OR SAINT AND SINNER

[The balmy breathing of her voice that breaks]

[How dread insensible death seems to be]

[Thy smiles are dear to him that needs thy smiles]

[Lifes bud unseals in extacy & joy]

FRAGMENTS

[The brook from its fountain rock drop after drop]

[The joys of childhood are full thickly sown]

[Theres many heart acheth]

SPRING HAUNTS

TWO SONNETS TO MARY

[Thy beauty thro my life hath been]

[A rainbow paints yon deep blue cloud]

[How oft Ive lay tween waking & a dream]

[How many times with weary feet]

MEMORY

[Who does not feel the grand sublimity]

[I hate to see mans strength employd]

SONNET

A DEDICATION TO MARY

[[Aut]umn is beautiful to see]

[By twittering swallows we percieve]

[Oft in my earlier days of leisure]

SONNET

[Vision of days gone by your memory dances]

[Sweet blossoms of lifes happy spring]

SPRING

WINTER

THE FODDERING BOY

SCHOOL BOYS IN WINTER

AUTUMN SHOWERS

AUTUMN LANDSCAPE

AUTUMN

[As I wanderd oer the irish hills]

SICKNESS

THE LABOURERS HYMN (a)

THE REFORMERS HYMN (b)

TO THE IVY

WHATS BEAUTYS LOVE

TO AN INFANT SISTER IN HEAVEN

SONNET

A REFLECTION IN SUMMER

TO NATURE

SONG OF PRAISE

TO THE DEITY

ON SEEING PITT'S MONUMENT—

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY KIN, MY TALLENTS & MYSELF

ABSENCE

TO ---

RURAL MORNING

THE CROSS ROADS OR HAYMAKERS STORY

THE WIDOW OR CRESS GATHERER

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

BALLAD

[Winter winds cold & blea]

Winter winds cold & blea
Chilly blows oer the lea
Wander not out to me
Jenny so fair
Wait in thy cottage free
I will be there

Wait in thy cushiond chair
Wi thy white bosom bare
Kisses are sweetest there
Leave it for me
F[r]ee from the chilly air
I will meet thee

229

How sweet can courting prove
How can I kiss my love
Muffld i' hat & glove
From the chill air
Quaking beneath the grove
What love is there

Lay by thy woolen vest
Rap no cloak oer thy breast
There my hand oft hath prest
Pin nothing there
There my head drops to rest
Leave its bed bare

Curl thy sweet auburn [h]air
Keep thy sweet bosom bare
Kisses are sweetest there
Love leave it free
Be the night foul or fair
Ill be wi thee

When thy friends go to sleep
Down from thy chamber creep
Fall the snow ere so deep
Chill be the air
Love will his promise keep
I will be there

When the latch gis a tink
Who it is ye may think
Wi no feard fancys shrink
Undo the door
Or at the window blink
Then yell be sure

230

Shut from the chilly air
To thee Ill hitch my chair
Snudgd on thy bosom bare
Lost in thy charms
O how Ill revel there
Rapt in thy arms