On reading poems of John Clare

by

Francis Duggan

You were the bard not many cared to know
The great poet from the distant long ago
But you proved master of the gift of rhyme
And still your verses stand the test of time.

Hard to believe that a talent so great
Was one time looked upon as second rate
And though John Taylor worked hard for your early fame
For many years your's was forgotten name.

Once more I sit here in my room tonight
And read your poems with feelings of delight
The badger and the fox and the landrail,
The thrush's nest and the march nightingale.

Last week in pub I heard reciter quote
From one of the many famous poems you wrote
A poem that well might last till amen day
Your song to ladybird called 'Clock a clay'

And you poor poet died in a mental home
Far from your beloved village of Helpstone
The Helpstone where those first verses you wrote
And the village where you first became a poet.

It's true that poets are born and poets are rare
And there is no greater poet than John Clare
As a nature poet with him none can compare
And the bard from Helpstone now known everywhere.

A song of parting

My love came to me in the twilight hour
And in her hand she held a fresh plucked flower
'Sighing' this I brought as parting gift for you
From green woodland a wild born bluebell blue

The robin piping in the twilight gray
As she stood there in the fading light of day
And teardrops welling in her sloe dark eyes
She had come to me to say her last goodbyes.

I choked my tears to save my manly pride
And my inner self from her I kept ahide
And though I felt shattered a brave face I did show
And I choked the tears the tears that yearned to flow

I held her to me heard her sob and say
Tomorrow I leave at the break of day
To live and work in city miles away
But I'll return to greet the flowers of may.

She left me there in twilight's darkening hour
Clutching parting gift from her a bluebell flower
The wild fox on the mountain side did call
And shades of night crept o'er the garden wall

NEXT?
Why don't you look at Untitled
by: Jonne Carter
from: Mobile, AL, US

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