William+Wordsworth

William Wordsworth By: Ashley Backe

William Wordsworth was born on April 7th, 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumberland County, England. He had four other siblings. He had a very good relationship with his mother and one of his sisters as a child. Wordsworth first attended Hawkshead Grammar School as a child. When he was attending the Hawkshead Grammar School he showed interest in poetry and already had some favorite poems. From 1787 to 1790 Wordsworth attended St. John's College and Cambridge. Before graduating from Cambridge, he took a walking tour through France, Switzerland, and Italy in 1790. In 1792, while living in France, Wordsworth wrote //The Descriptive Sketches. //This poem was one of his first really well written poems and it showed his protest and belief in political freedom. Finally, while Wordsworth's political ideas and poetic talent were thus beginning to take shape, he fell passionately in love with a French girl, Annette Vallon. She gave birth to their daughter in December 1792. Wordsworth became a very famous poet and was very successful. William Wordsworth died April 23rd, 1850.

Lines Written While Sailing in a Boat at Evening How richly glows the water's breas t While, facing thus the crimson west, The boat her silent course pursues! And see how dark the backward stream! A little moment past so smiling! And still, perhaps, with faithless gleam, Some other loiterers beguiling. ||
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 * < Before us, tinged with evening hues,

Such views the youthful Bard allure; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> But, heedless of the following gloom, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> He deems their colours shall endure <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> Till peace go with him to the tomb. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> —And let him nurse his fond deceit, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> And what if he must die in sorrow! <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> Who would not cherish [|dreams] so sweet, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: top;"> Though grief and pain may come to-morrow?

There was a Boy
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">THERE was a Boy; ye knew him well, ye cliffs <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> And islands of Winander!--many a time, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> At evening, when the earliest stars began <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> To move along the edges of the hills, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Rising or setting, would he stand alone, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Beneath the trees, or by the glimmering lake; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> And there, with fingers interwoven, both hands <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Pressed closely palm to palm and to his mouth <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Uplifted, he, as through an instrument, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Blew mimic hootings to the silent owls, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> That they might answer him.--And they would shout <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Across the watery vale, and shout again, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Responsive to his call,--with quivering peals, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> And long halloos, and screams, and echoes loud <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Redoubled and redoubled; concourse wild <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Of jocund din! And, when there came a pause <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Of silence such as baffled his best skill: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Then, sometimes, in that silence, while he hung <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Listening, a gentle shock of mild surprise <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Has carried far into his heart the voice <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Of mountain-torrents; or the visible scene <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Would enter unawares into his mind <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> With all its solemn imagery, its rocks, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Its woods, and that uncertain heaven received <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Into the bosom of the steady lake. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> This boy was taken from his mates, and died <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> In childhood, ere he was full twelve years old. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Pre-eminent in beauty is the vale <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Where he was born and bred: the churchyard hangs <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Upon a slope above the village-school; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> And, through that church-yard when my way has led <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> On summer-evenings, I believe, that there <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> A long half-hour together I have stood <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Mute--looking at the grave in which he lies!