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 dancing Daffodils; Along the Lake, beneath the trees, Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.
The waves beside them danced, but they Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: — A poet could not but be gay In such a laughing company: I gaz’d–and gaz’d–but little thought What wealth the shew 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.
William Wordsworth Poems in Two Volumes: Moods of my Mind 7 (1807)
This poem by Wordsworth was a favourite of mine when I was a child. Some of us know it as “Daffodils” and some as “I wandered lonely as a cloud.” I came across it the other day and fondly remembered it and was inspired to do this collage. I was not looking for any specific clouds when I took these photos. I was just having fun. The daffodils are from my own garden and were taken last spring. I’m hoping to see some signs of daffodils in Toronto by the end of March.
I like the imagery he uses at the beginning of the poem – “I wandered lonely as a cloud.” At some point in life, we are all fascinated by clouds and like to watch them. We are also subject to loneliness at some point in time. His loneliness didn’t last for long though and with the sight of the daffodils, he was in great company. Yellow is a vibrant colour and appeals to the senses. “Yellow brings with her the nature of brightness and has a delightful, encouraging, exciting and soft quality,” Goethe says.
We get the picture of delight that the poet experiences on coming across the daffodils when we read the poem. At the end of the poem, we are left with the fascinating imagery of solitude, instead of loneliness. When he is alone and he remembers the daffodils, his heart is blessed by the memory. Their beauty lingers on with him.
It is said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I love the poem and I hope that the collage expresses some of those feelings. Enjoy!