First Love

John Clare 1793 (Helpston) – 1864 (St Andrew's Hospital)



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 heart away complete.
My face turned pale as deadly pale.
My legs refused to walk away,
And when she looked, what could I ail?
My life and all seemed turned to clay.

And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start --
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice?
Is love's bed always snow?
She seemed to hear my silent voice,
Not love's appeals to know.
I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left its dwelling-place
And can return no more

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 27, 2023

48 sec read
132

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDCD EDEBFGFG HIHIEJEJ
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 800
Words 157
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8

John Clare

John Clare was an English poet in his time he was commonly known as the Northamptonshire Peasant Poet more…

All John Clare poems | John Clare Books

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