The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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SONNET
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
547
SONNET
[How sweet the wood shades the hot summer hours]
How sweet the wood shades the hot summer hours& stretches oer my head its sheltering green
As I recline mid grass & cooling flowers
& seeded stalks of blossoms that have been
Sure tis a pleasure in such secret nooks
To muse on distant friends in memorys eye
Or glance on passages in favourite books
Whose thoughts like echoes to our own reply
Or shades recall which substance long forsook
From the black nothingness of days gone bye
Blessings of infant hope & loves young bliss
Ah thus to think the thoughts of death is sweet
In shaping heaven to a scene like this
With loves & friends & feelings all to meet
| The early poems of John Clare | |