Student #1079539
Poetry Recitation Template
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
By William Wordsworth
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 golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed — and gazed — but little thought
What wealth the show 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.
February 17, 2016
Student #1079539
Poetry Recitation Template
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
By William Wordsworth
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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 golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
February 17, 2016
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphor
Personification
Simile
Symbol
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed — and gazed — but little thought
What wealth the show 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.
Dance of the Daffodils
The beauty of nature is something that no one can deny. William Wordsworth discusses the beautiful
relationship between human and nature in his poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” As a poem associated
with the Romantic Movement, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” uses lots of personification to illustrate a
picturesque image. The plot of this poem is light and simple, depicting the poet’s wandering and his
discovery of a field of daffodils by a lake, the memory of which gives him pleasure in times of boredom and
loneliness. The poem starts off with the poet comparing himself to a cloud floating about, expressing his
lonely condition. As he sees “a crowd, / A host, of golden daffodils” dancing under the clear sky, his mood
instantly improves (3-4). The daffodils are repeatedly personified as human beings, “Fluttering and dancing
in the breeze” and “Tossing their heads” while dancing in glee (6, 12). The continual use of the verb “dance”
shows the liveliness of the daffodils, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Wordsworth’s use of personification
implies an intrinsic unity between humans and the nature. Together with the use of imagery, “I Wandered
Lonely as a Cloud” paints a pastel-coloured oil painting that brings warmth to everybody. In the final stanza,
Wordsworth sets up a seemingly cozy image and reflects on the rejuvenating spirit of nature. The poet till
today’s date has not been able to forget the beautiful experience he had near the lake with the dancing
daffodils. The poem is not only a description of natural beauty, but also celebrates the fact that nature is
always a source of inspiration for people.