From Helpston in rural Northamptonshire, John Clare was born in 1793. He is now regarded as the most important poet of the natural world from Britain. He wrote many poems, prose and letters about love, sex, corruption and politics, environmental and social change, poverty and folk life. Even in his 'madness', his talents were not diminished. Ronald Blythe, past President of the Clare Society, saw Clare as "... England's most articulate village voice". Clare died, aged 71, in 1864.
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Wormingford...
Without doubt, all readers of this blog will appreciate the work of long-time President of the JC Society, Ronald Blythe. Just in case you didn't know, Ronald's wonderful "Word from Wormingford" may be read each week on the Church Times website: www.churchtimes.co.uk (click on Comment) and then Wormingford. Required reading, thank you Ronnie...
I couldn't resist it. The first paragraph of this week's (9th July) piece from Ronnie:
ReplyDeleteTHE FIRST HOURS of July. The white cat, full of breakfast, browsing on my shoulder, eyes closed, purr becoming a snore; Beethoven’s Eroica Variations on the radio, and, outside, the last notes of the dawn chorus; morning tea, then a bare-foot walk on the wet grass to see what the garden has been getting up to since last night.