Yarrow Revisited
July 6, 2023Written in Early Spring
July 6, 2023Written in London. September, 1802
. O Friend! I know not which way I must look
For comfort, being, as I am, opprest,
To think that now our life is only drest
For show; mean handy-work of craftsman, cook,
Or groom! — We must run glittering like a brook
In the open sunshine, or we are unblest:
The wealthiest man among us is the best:
No grandeur now in nature or in book
Delights us. Rapine, avarice, expense,
This is idolatry; and these we adore:
Plain living and high thinking are no more:
The homely beauty of the good old cause
Is gone; our peace, our fearful innocence,
And pure religion breathing household laws.
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was an English Romantic poet who is known for his celebration of nature and the common man. His most famous works include "Tintern Abbey," "The Prelude," and "Ode: Intimations of Immortality." He was appointed Poet Laureate of England in 1843.