LyricRomantic · 18074 min · 4 passagesGentle

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

A poem about a walk that pays off years later. The first three stanzas happen outdoors; the last one happens entirely inside a memory.

Nature Memory Time

0 / 4 understood

Stanza 1

Simile

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.

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Plain English

I was walking alone, drifting like a single cloud high above hills and valleys, when suddenly I came across a crowd — a whole host — of golden daffodils beside the lake, under the trees, fluttering and dancing in the wind.

Stanza 2

Hyperbole

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.

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Plain English

Endless as the stars that shine and twinkle in the Milky Way, they stretched in a never-ending line along the edge of the bay. I saw ten thousand of them at a single glance, tossing their heads in a lively dance.

Stanza 3

Foreshadowing

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:

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Plain English

The waves beside them danced too, but the daffodils out-danced the sparkling water in their glee. A poet could not help being happy in company that cheerful. I just looked and looked — with no idea yet what riches the sight had actually brought me.

Stanza 4

Imagery

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.

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Plain English

Because often, lying on my couch in an empty or thoughtful mood, they flash again before my inward eye — which is the happiness of being alone — and then my heart fills with pleasure and dances with the daffodils.

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