Arts & Sciences
To Poesy
From The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems (1821)
O sweetly wild and 'witching Poesy!
Thou light of this world's hermitage I prove thee;
And surely none helps loving thee that knows thee,
A soul of feeling cannot help but love thee.
I would say how thy secret wonders move me,
Thou spell of loveliness!—but 'tis too much:
Had I the language of the gods above me
I might then venture thy wild harp to touch,
And sing of all thy thrilling pains and pleasures;
The flowers I meet in this world's wilderness;
The comforts rising from thy spell-bound treasures,
Thy cordial balm that softens my distress:
I would say all, but thou art far above me;
Words are too weak, expression can't be had;
I can but say I love, and dearly love thee,
And that thou cheer'st me when my soul is sad.
Cite this poem
MLA
Clare, John. “To Poesy.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/clare/161/.
Chicago
Clare, John. “To Poesy.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/clare/161/.
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