Midwood silence

The sun beams scarce molest me wi a smile 

So thick the leafy armies gather round 

& where they do the breeze blows cool the while 

Their leafy shadows dancing on the ground 

—Full many a flower too wishing to be seen 

Perks up its head the hiding grass between— 

In midwood silence thus how sweet to be 

Where all the noises that on peace intrude 

Comes from the chittering cricket bird & bee 

Whose songs have charms to sweeten solitude




#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

All captives lost

Ye meadow blooms ye pasture flowers farwell

Ye banishd trees ye make me deeply sigh

Inclosure came & all your glories fell

Een the old oak that crownd yon rifld dell

Whose age had made it sacred to the view

Not long was left his childerns fate to tell

Where ignorance & wealth their course pursue

Each tree must tumble down—old ‘lea close oak’ adieu

Lubin beheld it all & deeply paind

Along the railed road woud muse & sigh

The only path that freedoms rights maintaind

The naked scenes drew pity from his eye

Tears dropt to mem'ry of delights gone bye

The haunts of freedom cowherds wattld bower

& shepherds huts & trees that tow[e]red high

& spreading thorns that turnd a summer shower

All captives lost & past to sad oppresions power

The 'legal robbery' of the enclosures forceably reminded Clare of what has become known in English history as the Norman Yoke.  So here is a piece he wrote under that title to further explain his views of what he was witnessing in his own time.  It might well seem rather familiar to 2026 eyes although written in around 1827.

The Norman Yoke

"Men make a boast of pedigree     as well might the descendants of Richard Turpin boast of theirs     for both honours spring from robbery & spoilation – what was William the Conqueror but a robber by wholesale & what were his followers but high way men     by his authority receiving tithes by their expertness at plunder    for which Turpin (a more noble plunderer if absence from fear or dareing achievements make one) received a halter* because he dared to rob & could show only his courage for the liscence"

* halter = hangman’s noose




#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

The mournful tale

No words can utter & no tongue can tell 


When ploughs destroyd the green when groves of willows fell 


There once was springs when daises silver studs 


Like sheets of snow on every pasture spread 


There once was summers when the crow flower buds 


Like golden sunbeams brightest lustre shed 


& trees grew once that shelterd lubins head 


There once was brooks sweet wimpering down the vale 


The brooks no more—king cup & daiseys fled 


Their last falln tree the naked moors bewail 


& scarce a bush is left around to tell the mournful tale 


#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Apology for the Poor

Every restraint now adays is laid on poverty & every liberty is given to luxury          burthens are constantly laid upon the weak & the strong are left without them – with the weak they are called useful & nessesary laws & with the rich they are considered as mean & incommod{i}ous matters never intended for them

            Thus every nessesary article with the poor is taxed & every luxury with the rich goes riot free as far as possible with the descency of parsiality to participate

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Enclosure

Thus came enclosure—ruin was its guide
But freedoms clapping hands enjoyed the sight
Though comforts cottage soon was thrust aside
& workhouse prisons raised upon the site
E'en natures dwellings far away from men—
The common heath—became the spoilers prey
. . .
No matter—wrong was right & right was wrong
& freedoms bawl was sanction to the song
. . .
As thou wert served so would they overwhelm
In freedoms name the little that is mine
& there are knaves that brawl for better laws
& cant of tyranny in stronger powers
Who glut their vile unsatiated maws
& freedoms birthright from the weak devours

poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Quiet sky

The sun is sinking low & red 
A coal turned dim from gazing 
Among the oak-trees goes to bed 
& sets the woods a blazing 
The dewy leaves will quickly drop 
& daylight close his eye 
& labours rustic sounds will stop 
'Neath evenings quiet sky

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

The shifting seasons

Twas thus his fond inquiry us'd to trace
Through natures secret with unwearied eye
& watch the shifting seasons changing grace
Springs first wild flower & summers painted sky
The insect creeping & the birds that fly
The autumns dying breeze the winter-wind
That bellowd round his hut most mournfully
& as his years increasd his taste refind
& fancy with new charms enlightens  up his mind

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Wild bees

The black & yellow bumble first on wing
To buzz among the sallows early flowers
Hiding its nest in holes from fickle spring
Who stints his rambles with her frequent showers
& one that may for wiser piper pass
In livery dress half sables & half red
Who laps a moss ball in the meadow grass
& hoards her stores when April showers have fled
& russet commoner who knows the face
Of every blossom that the meadow brings
Starting the traveller to a quicker pace
By threatening round his head in many rings:
These sweeten summer in their happy glee
By giving for her honey melody

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

A little lane

A Little Lane the brook runs close beside
& spangles in the sunshine while the fish glide swiftly by
& hedges leafing with the green spring tide
From out their greenery the old birds fly
& chirp & whistle in the morning sun
The pilewort glitters neath the pale blue sky
The little robin has its nest begun
& grass green linnets round the bushes fly
How Mild the Spring Comes in the daisy buds
Lift up their golden blossoms to the sky
How lovely are the pingles & the woods
Here a beetle runs & there a fly
Rests on the Arum leaf in bottle green
And all the Spring in this Sweet lane is seen

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (7)

Aye Poesy hath passed away
& Fancys visions undeceive us
The night hath ta'en the place of day
& why should passing shadows grieve us
I thought the flowers upon the hills
Were flowers from Adams open gardens
But I have had my summer thrills
& I have had my hearts rewardings
So Poesy is on the wane
I hardly know her face again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (6)

Mere withered stalks & fading trees
& pastures spread with hills & rushes
Are all my fading vision sees
Gone gone are raptures flooding gushes
When mushrooms they were fairy bowers
Their marble pillars overswelling
& Danger paused to pluck the flowers
That in their swarthy rings were dwelling
Yes Poesy is on the wane
Nor joy nor fear is mine again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below 

Decay (5)

Loves sun went down without a frown
For very joy it used to grieve us
I often think the West is gone
Ah cruel Time to undeceive us
The stream it is a common stream
Where we on Sundays used to ramble
The sky hangs oer a broken dream
The brambles dwindled to a bramble
O Poesy is on the wane
I cannot find her haunts again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (4)

The sun those mornings used to find
Its clouds were other-country mountains
& heaven looked downward on the mind
Like groves & rocks & mottled fountains
Those heavens are gone the mountains grey
Turned mist--the sun a homeless ranger
Pursues alone his naked way
Unnoticed like a very stranger
O Poesy is on the wane
Nor love nor joy is mine again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (3)

I sat beside the pasture stream
When Beautys self was sitting by
The fields did more than Eden seem
Nor could I tell the reason why
I often drank when not adry
To pledge her health in draughts divine
Smiles made it nectar from the sky
Love turned een water into wine
O Poesy is on the wane
I cannot find her face again

Image by my friend #JackBodimead

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (2)

The bank with brambles overspread
& little molehills round about it
Was more to me than laurel shades
With paths of gravel finely clouted
& streaking here & streaking there
Through shaven grass & many a border
With rutty lanes had no compare
& heaths were in a richer order
But Poesy is on the wane
I hardly know her face again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Decay (1)

O Poesy is on the wane
For Fancys visions all unfitting
I hardly know her face again
Nature herself seems on the flitting
The fields grow old & common things
The grass the sky the winds a-blowing
& spots where still a beauty clings
Are sighing "going all a-going”
O Poesy is on the wane
I hardly know her face again

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Fairey dreams

Spring comes anew & brings each little pledge

That still as wont my childish heart decieves
I stoop again for violets in the hedge
Among the Ivy & old withered leaves
& often mark amid the clumps of sedge
The pooty shells I gathered when a boy
But cares have claimed me many an evil day
& chilled the relish which I had for joy
Yet when crab blossoms blush among the may
As wont in years gone bye I scramble now
Up mid the brambles for my old esteems
Filling my hands with many a blooming bough
Till the heart stirring past as present seems
Save the bright sunshine of those fairey dreams

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

Evening

What time the woodlands hides the sun 
& Nathans dirty works near done 
When cows are drovd to milking up 
& hogs are calld on swill to sup 
& nogs of hay on ploughmens backs 
Tempt horses to their nightly racks 
& beast which nought but want can draw 
Lunge brousing round their cribs of straw 
What time gen out the threshing clown 
Wi in his corner drops him down 
& sups him oer his porridge free 
& gossips chattering oer their tea

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

from ‘The Dream’

When nights last hours like haunting spirits creep

With listning terrors round the couch of sleep

& midnight brooding with its deepest dye

Seizes on fear with dismal sympathy

I dreamd a dream of somthing kin to fate

Which superst[it]ions blackest thoughts create

Something half natural to the grave that seems

Which deaths long trance of slumber aptly dreams

A dream of staggering horrors & of dread

Whose shadows lingerd when the dream had fled

Clinging to memory with their gloomy view

Till doubt & fancy half believd it true

That time was come or seemd as it was come

When death no longer makes the grave its home

When waking spirits leave their earthly rest

To mix forever with the damnd or blest

When years in drowsey thousands counted bye

Then hung on minutes with their destiny

When life in terror drops its draining glass

& all thats mortal like to shadows pass

As neath approaching tempests sinks the sun

When time shall leave eternity begun

Life swoond in terror at that hours dread birth
& as in ague shook the fearful earth

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below

All my company

I hate the very noise of troublous man
Who did and does me all the harm he can
Free from the world I would a prisoner be
& my own shadow all my company
& lonely see the shooting stars appear
Worlds rushing into judgment all the year
O lead me onward to the loneliest shade
The darkest place that quiet ever made
Where kingcups grow most beauteous to behold
& shut up green and open into gold
Farewell to poesy & leave the will
Take all the world away & leave me still
The mirth & music of a womans voice
That bids the heart be happy & rejoice

#poetry #environment 

#honesty

Comments welcome below