Wordsworth's Daffodils

Imagine the scene.... It's early spring in the year 1802 and you are walking with your brother in the English Lake District beside the lake known as Ullswater. A truly beautiful place in pleasant weather but today the water reflects the moody grey of the sky, the mountains look menacing and the wind whips icy rain against your face. You trudge along beside the lake sheltering as best you can beneath the narrow belt of trees that grows between the lake and turnpike road just a few yards away.

Keeping your head down you travel ever onwards. Then suddenly you come across a scene that stops you in your tracks. Daffodils! Growing beside the lake, dancing in the breeze. Might this cheerful view not inspire you to write a few lines of verse. I think by now you'll have guessed where I am headed!

The brother and sister in my little story were William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy. In 1802 Dorothy wrote about this day in her journal and later William recalled the experience in his now famous poem.

I've been waiting for the just the right weather to photograph the exact spot where the poet had his spark of inspiration and yesterday was perfect. I travelled to Ullswater (just a few miles form where I live) and found just the scene I'd been hoping for. 207 years after Wordsworth passed by, in the same place, beside the lake, beneath the trees, daffodils were still fluttering and dancing in the breeze. That is the beauty of this lovely area, so much of it has remained unchanged from the days when the poet lived here.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

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.

The little daffodils growing beside the lake are native British wild daffodils -Narcissus pseudonarcissus

I have a copy of Dorothy Wordsworth's journal which she kept from 1800 to 1803 (see below). Dorothy's original hand written journal is in the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere. 

The journal was written whilst the Wordsworths lived at Dove Cottage. From this link you can look inside the cottage and also view the other homes the family had in the Lake District.

Dorothy writes in her journal:
'When we were in the woods beyond Gowbarrow Park we saw a few daffodils close to the water-side. We fancied that the lake had floated the seeds ashore and that the little colony had so sprung up. But as we went along there were more and yet more; and at last under the boughs of the trees we saw that there was a long belt of them along the shore, about the breadth of the turnpike road. I never saw daffodils so beautiful'.

'They grew among the mossy stones about and about them; some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness and the rest tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them over the lake'.

I'm finishing this post with a photo I took of St Patrick's Church in Patterdale, not far from the scenes above. Built in 1853 it makes a pretty picture with its churchyard full of daffodils.

Until next time,
Eli 

Comments

[Suzanne]

Eli, thought of you today whilst browsing a bookshop and picked up the UK's Country Living. Such beautiful sights. I love the picture of the church and all the daffodils! YOu must stop recommending these wonderful books--I shall go broke...LOL!

[mumintroll]

What a wonderful country.
I love daffidols.

[Valerie]

Thank you, that was particularly lovely when I woke up to a gray freezing morning. The warmth to my soul will brighten my day.

[maggie]

This is my all-time favourite poem.
I just love it - and I adore daffodils.
It is a difficult decision which I prefer more: daffodils or lilacs.
Spring is the best time of year!
Your photos and presentation of the story of the poem are lovely.
xxx
Maggie

[natalie jo]

Oh Eli! This was the loveliest post ever! The photos, the poem, the journal entry, and the links all flowed together beautifully. Thank you for such a lovely start to my day!
Fondly,
natalie jo

[Paula]

Dear Eli,
This was so beautifully written and the photos are gorgeous! Whilst reading I felt as if I were in the Lake District with you! The daffodils are so lovely all round the lake, such an incredibly beautiful place you live! I love William Wordsworth's poetry! I enjoyed reading his sister's lovely journal entry. Her book sounds delightful! The church is so pretty with all the daffodils surrounding it. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Love, Paula

P.S. Congratulations for being featured on Whip Up for your daffodil tutorial, and your other knitting tutorials!!!

[Sharon Stinson]

Love, love, LOVE daffodils - the pictures are amazing. Thanks too for sharing the lovely poem and some of the historical background. What a darling little knitted daffodil - I do believe you can knit anything, Eli! Hugs, Sharon

[Redwood House]

Hi Eli,
You really do live in a beautiful area, what lovely photo's and the daffs are glorious, mine are rubbish this year I don't know why. Luckily the farm opposite has them at the base of their front wall so I can enjoy them instead.
It really is a wonderful time of year with everything in bud. I suppose this will be the start of the busy season for The Lakes, I have very fond memories of camping with a friend on the edge of Ullswater I had just passed my driving test and thought I was very grown up driving to the lakes....uummmmm seems like yesterday!!!
Bye for now
Jan