Image:trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/United_Kingdom/photo373524.htm
“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
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.
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.
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:
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.
William Wordsworth
http://www.wordsworth.org.uk/history/
Die Affodil-dans
Alleen wandel ek
soos ‘n los-wolkie
wat sweef oor hoë berge,
heuwels, valleie en dale
Skielik sien ek ‘n plaat Affodille
‘n blink-geel, songeel,
goudgeel versameling
wat skitter en skyn
langs die meer onder die bome
swewend en dansend
buigend en juigend
nÁ die Somerreëns
Langsamerhand – soos die sterreskyn
Glinsterend – soos in die Melkweg-lyn
Al langs die kant van die baai
Vang my blik die verruklike dans
die aanskoulike geswaai
van koppies wat draai
onder die hange van ‘n krans
Ver-weg op my rusbank
lê ek uitgestrek
Langsamerhand weerkaats
die dansende skynsel
in my binne-oog
Die opgewondenheid van alleen-wees
vervul my hart met plesier
en ek dans die dans!
van die blinkgeel, songeel,
goudgeel, bly-geel Affodille!
©Nikita 26th August 2008
Wordsworth’s house in Cockermouth, where he was born. He spent his later years in Dove Cottage – in Grasmere – and in 1813 they moved to Rydal Mount, where William and Mary stayed until their deaths in 1850 and 1859. Whilst at Rydal Mount William became Distributor of Stamps for Westmorland, and had an office in Church St Ambleside. In 1820 he published his ‘Guide through the District of the Lakes’. In 1842 he became the Poet Laureate, and resigned his office as Stamp Distributor. William married Mary quite late in his life. Something which I read about him, which you don’t read on all sites, is that he went to France in 1791 and met Annette Vallon. She gave him French lessons, for free, and they fell in love and she got pregnant. She had a girl and her name was Caroline. William wanted to return to support her with the child, but because of the war between England and France, he couldn’t return. I read this piece of info in the book…”Among the Lakes and fells” by John Kahn.
Follow the link to read more about him. http://www.wordsworth.org.uk/history/
We’ve been away for the past week. We went to the Western part of the Lake District… had a few rainy days, so spent some of the days to visit some very exciting places. Only when we arrived at Mockerkin, the owners of our cottage informed us about Wordsworth’s house in Cockermouth and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top-farm in Hawkshead and we were left with hundreds of leaflets, maps and books about surrounding areas. I’ve got zillions of wonderful pictures to sort out, but for a start, thought to post this poem which William Wordsworth wrote. I had the wonderful opportunity to read his sister, Dorothy’s Lakeland Journal, due to the weather! And, once again, due to the weather… I’ve translated William’s poem in Afrikaans, but I’ve also changed it a little bit, so it’s not exactly the same…and I call my poem…the Dance of the Daffodils! For now, you have to be satisfied with this poem, as I’ve got some unpacking to do…and tomorrow is a day with friends, so not much time for blogging, but I’ll try my best to upload a few more about the visit to William’s house in Cockermouth. Sadly, we didn’t visit Dove’s cottage in Grasmere, where he spent his later years, as our time was a bit limited when we went to Hill Top farm. If you visit Hill Top farm, you get a timed ticket, which means you buy the ticket and can only enter the time your ticket tells you. In this way the National Trust try to control the number of visitors as the house is quite small and not many people at any one time can move around the house comfortably. Also, it’s a way to preserve to property, but more about Hill Top farm in another entry later this week!
I’ve got so much to share and so many pictures to go through, but first things first…follow the link I’ve given to read a bit more. Please click on images for a larger view.
Wordsworth Museum
William Wordsworth’s sister, Dorothy, kept this diary…a diary which is worth reading! There is also the “Grasmere and Alfoxden Journals” to be read. I will definitely try and get hold of the “Grasmere”-diary to read too.
Plaque inscription
Front garden as seen through a window from the inside of the house
Rear garden through a window in Wordsworth’s house
Hand water pump!
Rear garden and house as seen from the garden
Bench in rear garden
Foot bridge behind Wordsworth house across River Derwent
River Derwent… River Cocker and River Derwent meet in Cockermouth
Dove cottage in Grasmere…which we didn’t visit
Image: and read more…
http://www.holiday-lakeland.co.uk/reivers/wilword.htm
Ek het jou inskrywings gemis 🙂
Welkom terug.
Baie, baie mooi gedig! As jy elke keer wat jy weg gaan vir ons sulke mooi goed terug bring, moet julle miskien meer vakansie gaan hou! hahaha 😆
Jou gedig pas ook pragtig by Lentedag – Maandag!!!
I like the Afrikaans interpretation.
Not that it compares, but I was also inspired to write about daffodils a few years back:
Rising from your winter sleep
Stretching leafy limbs of green
Yawning yellow wisps of dream
From behind frozen curtains peep
Waving in the bracing breeze
Nodding at the naked trees
Whispering secrets that you keep
Teasing out the timid sun
Promising that spring is come
Ah !!! your back !! : ))….. was worried !! thought you might have died……or worse…… and avoid me having a gloat !!!!! you cant beat a good gloat …can you ??? how are South Africa doing in the one day series ??? lol he he !!! …..very glad you enjoyed your hols …..in the centre of the earth…… that be England where all the greatest classics come from !! lol !!
Best Wishes Tony
PS Didnt Great Britain do well at the Olympics ??? did South Africa send a team ????
PPS take care my friend : ))
Gmf, vir die comment oor die SA Olimpiese span hier bo my!
Wel, wat kan mens sé….
Welkom terug Nikita!
Ek is mal oor die Lake distrik, was ook by Dove cottage en so aan. Ek het ‘n boek gelees oor Wordsworth, daarin is o.a. geskryf oor sy ‘vreemde’ verhouding met Dorothy, kom dit deur in haar dagboek?
Ek het eenkeer gelees érens, iemand het gesé, sy’t gedink mense wat dig oor afodille en dinge is wonderlik, want hulle sien die klein dingetjies raak, totdat sy in Engeland gekom het en gesien het daar is afodille om elke draai.
Ek is baie lief vir afodille en tulpe, my ma het altyd so baie afodille in haar tuin gehad op ons plaas, so dit laat my dink aan my kinderdae.
Geniet jou Sondag!
Dit was stil op die blogs sonder jou Nikita!! Welkom terug! Ek het al so baie van die Lake District gehoor, ek kan nie wag vir jou foto’s nie.
Hierdie gedig van Wordsworth is een van my gunsteling gedigte! Ek hou van jou vertaling daarvan.
Geniet die dag saam met julle vriende!
Dance of the Daffodils, it sounds a real nice title. Pity I will not be able to read your own poem. Perhaps you could publish yours in English too.
Not many tourists venture towards the west of the lake district – its far more breathtaking. If you have not already been, I would like to suggest the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland – guaranteed to blow your mind.
Intrigued by a comment earlier. Does chess masters also follow cricket?
Welkom terug!
Ek dink jy het talent vir vertaling. Ook gek oor Wordsworth.
Nikita, sien jy het jou lekker nat vakansie geniet! Sien uit na jou foto’s..
Ek stem saam met BiB, jy kan maar vertaal hoor!
Jou gedig is weereens pragtig!
Hi All!
@Wipneus! Baie dankie vir jou kommentaar, geniet Lentedag!!
@Wayne…beautiful poem! as all your other poems!! and tks for your comments on my translation.
@Tony…yes, really in the centre of the Earth! 😉 and yes, team GB did really well!! Well done for them! But I didn’t watch hardly any…only a bit of swimming in the start…and the rest saw bits on the news and that’s it! about team SA…well…errr… swimmers did great! think they were brilliant in their competition…watch them in the next olympics!! there’s a young guy…all eyes will be upon him! mark my words!!
@Eilandkind…oor Dorothy..ja, ek stem, dit is nogal ‘n snaakse “verhouding” tussen die broer/suster, ek dink sy het gevoel sy MOET hom ondersteun en na hom “kyk”…sy se niks daarvan in die joernaal van haar nie, maar ek het net een gelees, die “Grasmere journal” het ek nie gelees nie, sal graag wil. Die een wat ek gelees het, het ook omtrent ‘n hele jaar se inskrywings “missing”…hulle se in die joernaal dat daardie “volume” kon nie gevind word nie. Hulle se ook in die joernaal (in die begin) dat hulle twee het ‘n baie hegte band gehad. Sy self (Dorothy) noem nie iets spesifieks daarvan nie, al wat jy agterkom deur die lees daarvan, is dat sy basies vir hom “gewerk” het..sy het sy gedigte oorgeskryf en dit hardop vir hom teruggelees, seker vir hom om te hoor hoe dit klink en dit te verbeter. Ek dink toe hulle soort van “wesies” was na die dood van hul ouers (hy was 8 jaar oud- as ek reg onthou), het sy seker maar soos ‘n “surrogaatma” gevoel en dalk gevoel sy moet vir hom sorg. Dis al wat ek dink. Dit was nogal interessant om dit te lees en daaruit kon jy ook agterkom hoe hy die “klein” dingetjies geniet het en daaroor geskryf het. bv. het hy ‘n “glow worm” deur ‘n verwoede storm al die pad in sy sak gedra het om haar dit te wys, want hy’t geweet dat sy dit nog nie gesien het nie, toe skryf hy ook daaroor in sy gedig! ook die Butterfly-gedig…dieselfde…mens verstaan sy gedigte meer en weet dan “waar” dit vandaan kom. Ek sal baie graag die “Grasmere”-joernaal in die hande wil kry om ook te lees. Uit die joernaal kon ek ook agterkom dat Dorothy moes ‘n skryftalent gehad het – sy beskryf alles in die joernaal BAIE goed op plekke, hoe die plekkies gelyk het waar hulle gereis het ens.
@Reisiger! Dankie vir jou mooi woorde ook! Ek sien uit om vanaand nog van daardie wonderlike foto’s vir julle op te sit! Dit was net ONGELOOFLIK mooi!!!
@ Littleindian!
thanks for your visit again! I will try and translate the poem for you… 😉 and yes, chess players Looooooove cricket too!! I’m no grandmaster…but i love chess and…i loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove cricket!! …errr…of course Rugby when the Springboks play!!! 😉
@Boer…”birds of a feather, flock together”! 😉 Dankie vir jou mooi kommentaar ook! bly jy geniet Wordsworth ook!
@Zee…dankie vir jou mooi woorde!! Soos ek hierbo gese het…ek het regtig soveel mooi foto’s, dis ongelooflik mooi in daardie plekke en die mooiste klein plekkies! en ek het soveel foto’s geneem…ek dink van sommige plekke kan ek ‘n redelike animasie maak! 😉 ek belowe om binne die volgende 2 ure definitief ‘n hele hoop hier op te he! Geniet dit!
ok! more pictures uploaded and you have to read again, as I’ve added/changed what I’ve written here yesterday!
Dankie vir die foto’s Nikita, nou kan ons ook sien hoe dit daar lyk binne en buite. Die tuine is darem maar pragtig daar hoor!
hi Zee, ja, net jammer ons was nie toegelaat om foto’s binne te neem nie! Daar was juis sulke mooi plekkies om af te neem, gedag die foto’s deur die vensters gee jou dan die idee van watter tipe vensters dit darem is.. 😉 al hierdie plekke het of kameras of museum-mense wat al om jou is, jy kan nie eers een probeer steel nie..lol!
Ai, ek skryf ook weer soos wie weet wat, omdat ek gelees het ‘Front garden as seen through a window from the inside of the house’ het dit seker in my brein bly vassteek en trieks met my mind speel 😦
hi Zee! nee man! dis nie jy nie! dis ek wat seker nie my woorde reg gekies het nie! dit is van binne geneem…jy’s reg! lol! ek gaan in een van hierdie plekke my eendag nog dom hou en binne foto’s neem, maar so effe skelm en hoop hulle sien my nie en my dom hou en maak asof ek nie verstaan het nie…hehehe…veral in Beatrix Potter se huisie, daar is nou vir jou ‘n huisie wat sulke wegsteekhoekies het wat so lekker sou afneem, maar daardie oe van daardie “gidse” was heeltyd op jou! 😉
Ai Nikita, jy laat my nou sommer baie na Engeland verlang met jou pragtige foto’s. Ons het net Londen, Windsor en gedeeltes van Sussex en Kent besoek tydens ons 2 besoeke aan Engeland en miskien kry ek weer eendag die kans om Engeland verder te bekyk.
Fancy that.
I find a cricket enthusiast where I least expected.
Leastest – if there ever was such a word. – teaches me not to be presumptive – again.
If you are interested would you like to join my cricket forum/website.
It called “Silly Points” – and is at http://www.thesillypoint.com/forum
My forum has a thread on South African cricket news called ‘to cape on good hope’ – that needs fostering. Would you like to accept the challange? Its always best to have the insight from the supporters of a team.
With SA touring Aus in Dec, I would be helpful for your input.
[ If you are not familiar with bulletin boards, it is no problem – if I can manage anyone can ]
hi Reisiger..ons het ook al so bietjie in Kent voorheen rondgery, weet nie of julle by die Roman-fort was nie. Hulle se mos Kent is “the garden of England”..omdat hy so mooi is, maar ek het seker nog nie al die mooi plekke daar gesien nie, want die Lake Distrik was vir my so effe mooier…veral by Ambleside. Ek het net so bietjie tyd nodig dan gaan ek vir julle baie mooi foto’s hier oplaai…
Hi littleindian!
I will surely visit your forum once i’ve got a few spare minutes, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to join in or to deliver an input at all as I will be quite busy from next week on for the next 10 months! I might find you some South Africans that might want to join in, on Chessworld where i play chess, there’s a very friendly Saffa, he lives in SA too and he’s a huge cricket fan and i’m sure with his job as a Tutor at a Uni in SA, he might find some time to support you as he always takes part in huge discussions about the cricket in the social forum on the chess site…btw…are you not a chess player? if chess players looooooooooove cricket…it should be the other way round too! lol!
Thanks Nikita,
thats OK,
My forum is a small place, to talk cricket with my online friends.
Think of it as a campfire – with a virtual coffepot perpetually brewing; we drop in whenever we can – if there’s anyone around we stop for a natter, if not we leave messages – pick up replies on our way back..
There is no compulsion whatsoever, we accept life’s other priorities are more important (unfortunately). Will be great if any of your friends joins in.
I would still invite you to join and drop in whenever you can.
I went through a phase of trying to play chess – but my short attention span never helped – I cannot sit through the opening moves – I am happier with an end game – so I prefer to watch/follow.
Thanks for dropping in on my site – I have seen the film ‘indian in the cupboard’ – loved it.
[…] an apartment at Mockerkin, just about 7 miles from Cockermouth. See my entry about Cockermouth here:https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud/ and about Mockerkin […]
helo! The babes are here! This is my sexiest site to visit. I make sure I am alone in case I get too hot. Post your favorite link here.
hi Noble, Welcome to my bog, thanks for your comments, I don’t know how you describe a site as “sexy!” 😉
Good day! Hot picture alert! If Paris Hilton is your fave, then I have a website for you to see. Who wants it?
hi Michiko, welcome to you too, Paris is not my favourite at all! thanks, i’m not interested in anything about her. I have no interest in any celebrity.