Vox Populi
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William Wordsworth: Surprised by Joy
Surprised by joy—impatient as the Wind
I turned to share the transport—Oh! with whom
But Thee, long buried in the silent Tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind—
But how could I forget thee?—Through what power,
Even for the least division of an hour,
Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
To my most grievous loss!—That thought’s return
Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
Knowing my heart’s best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore.
Public Domain
The sonnet ‘Surprised by joy’ is an elegy for Wordsworth’s daughter Catherine, who died in 1812, aged three.
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So achingly beautiful. Thanks for posting this.
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Thanks, Clayton!
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I turned to share the transport—Oh! with whom
But Thee, long buried in the silent Tomb,
….alas! (Thank you for this elegy, dear Michael)
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Thank you, Laure-Anne, for loving poems as much as I do.
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