Where’s Wordsworth?
This morning William,
flowers in spring splendour
endeavoured to impress me.
Birds sang, and in their voice
no sour note was struck
to soil the serenity
of these signifiers of spring.
Signs and symbols of earth’s ripeness
wrapped me in their siren song
of a season plump with promise.
Significance danced in sunbeams
and poets posturing prior to me
before these portends passed,
and added to the morning’s call
their long departed pastoral dream
that we are one with all things green.
But, existing now,
not in some lost idyll
I’m disenchanted by the
pledge of daybreak.
For a decade of delightful dawns
induces numbness,
and all the efforts of the earth
in bloom are not enough to block
the boredom of this
morning’s birth.
© James Rainsford 2012
Note to readers: Posted to Open Link Night at dVerse Poets. I'll try to respond to all who visit and leave a comment. Kind regards to all at dVerse Poets, James.
This piece feels timeless to me James--and it went in an unexpected direction for me--beautiful writing
ReplyDeleteThis is a great title that had me all set to be transported into an ecstatic field of daffodils with William and Dorothy and then...? You surprise and leave me a bit sad, definitely defying stereotypical expectations! But the photo made me happy! Well done, James.
ReplyDeleteI am loving the visions of spring...the blooms and birds and sunbeam. But the ending was a bit sad. I hope the day and the season gives you a lot of happiness and joy James ~
ReplyDeletei find this a bit sad...to be numbed by the spring and the new dawning...it feels like a loss of hope for me....
ReplyDeleteHopefully spring is just late being sprung and you have more joy found indeed. Great depiction of the day though.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this delightful piece and pictured myself walking with the daffodils once more, high above the lake they surround. The softness and gentility of this verse appeal to me greatly. Wonderful poem James!!
ReplyDeleteI love the aliteration, all things shared in spring. Excellent write.
ReplyDeleteA counterpoint to the idyllic verses of the Romantic poets, the irony strengthened by the seemingly-classical formalism of the verse structure.
ReplyDeleteThe ending spoke of disillusionment to me, how the beauty can no longer make false promises. I felt your poem. Beautiful work, James.
ReplyDeleteJames, a beautiful poem !
ReplyDeleteOh dear, too good of a poem to make me quite believe in the boredom of the poet's day! K.
ReplyDeleteI think Wordsworth would have felt a little proud of your prose, despite the boredom of the morning.
ReplyDeleteGreat photographs and fabulous prompt at dVerse.
Wordsworth probably wouldn't have taken your Narcissi for his [wild and now very rare] Daffodils. Wouldn't have known what to say:-)
ReplyDeleteI share your disillusionment with the umpteenth birth of Spring, and didn't realize I did until I read your poem.
We have become too spoilt and expect better rather than cope with inroads on our perfect memories.
Did you watch the Keats film on BBC2 last night? I hope that was the portent of more worthwhile films to come.
Your first picture for the words plus image was an inspired and inspiring choice. Did Vondel have a say in it?
I feel sad that I wasn't up to it myself, but have enjoyed others' efforts immensely.
Forgot to say: This poem needs rereading after a good night's sleep. I read it twice last night and twice this morning: it gets better and more illuminating every time. We often read each other's work with unseemly haste, forgetting the role poetry played in past centuries' entertainment. It was savoured, not gobbled, like many things today.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful use of consonants and such a rhythmic piece...really loved this one. Thankyou.
ReplyDelete"...disenchanted by the pledge of daybreak." An interesting thought. A wee bit sad, too. Is not every birth a cause to celebrate?
ReplyDeleteA verse to make one dance as with the daffodils!
ReplyDeleteWhat a refreshing perspective on all this poetic cheeriness and the perfect spring day. I smiled and enjoyed it all the way through. Now I'm off to find some Wordsworth.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your recent visit and comment.
Delightful indeed, and this of a bored poet? Sometimes we do look for some chaos for excitement.
ReplyDelete