Poems

Poems List

Explore poems from our collection

John Clare
John Clare

Merry Maid

Merry Maid

Bonny and stout and brown, without a hat,
She frowns offended when they call her fat--
Yet fat she is, the merriest in the place,

371
John Clare
John Clare

May

May


Come queen of months in company
Wi all thy merry minstrelsy
The restless cuckoo absent long
And twittering swallows chimney s…

412
John Clare
John Clare

Market Day

Market Day

With arms and legs at work and gentle stroke
That urges switching tail nor mends his pace,
On an old ribbed and weather beaten horse, …

417
John Clare
John Clare

Love Cannot Die

Love Cannot Die

In crime and enmity they lie
Who sin and tell us love can die,
Who say to us in slander's breath
That love belongs to sin…

402
John Clare
John Clare

Invitation To Eternity

Invitation To Eternity

Say, wilt thou go with me, sweet maid,
Say, maiden, wilt thou go with me
Through the valley-depths of shade,
Of br…

407
John Clare
John Clare

Little Trotty Wagtail

Little Trotty Wagtail

Little trotty wagtail he went in the rain,
And tittering, tottering sideways he neer got straight again,
He stooped to get …

377
John Clare
John Clare

In Hilly-Wood

In Hilly-Wood

How sweet to be thus nestling deep in boughs,
Upon an ashen stoven pillowing me;
Faintly are heard the ploughmen at their ploughs, …

389
John Clare
John Clare

Idle Fame

Idle Fame

I would not wish the burning blaze
Of fame around a restless world,
The thunder and the storm of praise
In crowded tumults hear…

350
John Clare
John Clare

I Dreamt Of Robin

I Dreamt Of Robin

I opened the casement this morn at starlight,
And, the moment I got out of bed,
The daisies were quaking about in their white <…

363
John Clare
John Clare

House Or Window Flies

House Or Window Flies

These little window dwellers, in cottages and halls, were always
entertaining to me; after dancing in the window all day from sunri…

361
John Clare
John Clare

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers


Grasshoppers go in many a thumming spring
And now to stalks of tasseled sow-grass cling,
That shakes and swees awhile, but s…

365
John Clare
John Clare

Hen's Nest

Hen's Nest

Among the orchard weeds, from every search,
Snugly and sure, the old hen’s nest is made,
Who cackles every morning from her perch

462
John Clare
John Clare

Fragment

Fragment


The cataract, whirling down the precipice,
Elbows down rocks and, shouldering, thunders through.
Roars, howls, and stifled murmu…

390
John Clare
John Clare

From The Parish: A Satire

From The Parish: A Satire

I

In politics and politicians' lies
The modern farmer waxes wondrous wise;
Opinionates with wisdom all …

358
John Clare
John Clare

Farmer's Boy

Farmer's Boy

He waits all day beside his little flock
And asks the passing stranger what's o'clock,
But those who often pass his daily tasks

419
John Clare
John Clare

First Love

First Love

I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet,
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
And stole my hea…

414
John Clare
John Clare

Evening Primrose

Evening Primrose

When once the sun sinks in the west,
And dewdrops pearl the evening's breast;
Almost as pale as moonbeams are,
Or its co…

522
John Clare
John Clare

Farewell And Defiance To Love

Farewell And Defiance To Love

Love and thy vain employs, away
From this too oft deluded breast!
No longer will I court thy stay,
To be my…

415
John Clare
John Clare

Emmonsail's Heath in Winter

Emmonsail's Heath in Winter

I love to see the old heath's withered brake
Mingle its crimpled leaves with furze and ling,
While the old heron from…

435
John Clare
John Clare

Early Spring

Early Spring

The Spring is come, and Spring flowers coming too,
The crocus, patty kay, the rich hearts' ease;
The polyanthus peeps with blebs of …

415
John Clare
John Clare

Dyke Side

Dyke Side

The frog croaks loud, and maidens dare not pass
But fear the noisome toad and shun the grass;
And on the sunny banks they dare not go <…

413
John Clare
John Clare

Dewdrops

Dewdrops


The dewdrops on every blade of grass are so much like silver drops
that I am obliged to stoop down as I walk to see if they are pearls, …

392
John Clare
John Clare

Country Letter

Country Letter

Dear brother robin this comes from us all
With our kind love and could Gip write and all
Though but a dog he'd have his love to sp…

375
John Clare
John Clare

Decay

Decay


O Poesy is on the wane,
For Fancy's visions all unfitting;
I hardly know her face again,
Nature herself seems on the flitti…

451