Once again, I feel the need to talk about William Wordsworth. Many of us have just read the “Lucy Gray” poems, and that’s it. My guess: Not many people in our English class know the background to Wordsworth and why he may have written these sets of poems. Plus, there is just a lot of interesting things that happened to William Wordsworth before the “Lucy” poems. To start of, the man was born in 1770 and died in 1850 (he died at the age of 80, which was very old for that time period). Wordsworth mother died when he was young, so his father shipped him off to a grammar school called Hawkshead Grammar School (which closed in 1909 and has since become a museum). This school helped Wordsworth begin his love of poetry and writing. Then in 1787, Wordsworth attended St. John’s College in Cambridge. Having so much proper education probably let to his great writing technique, but also caused him to journey onto the path of abstract poetry.

Wordsworth wrote is first major piece and had it published in 1798. It was titled “Lyrical Ballads with a Few Other Poems.” This major work included poems like “We Are Seven” and “Expostulation and Reply.” Then, within three years, Wordsworth published his second great piece in 1800, entitled “Lyrical Ballads with Other Poems.” This piece of work included poems like “A Slumber Did my Spirit Seal” and “Lucy Gray.” We all learned about the “Lucy Gray” poems in class and even had a chance to read them, but I’m sure that not many people realize where Wordsworth got his inspiration from or who this “Lucy” may be. Plus, he has written so many other great pieces of poetry that there is simply not enough time to read them all. In order to figure this out, one must know Wordsworth’s background before he wrote his great poetry. After all, you never know where you’re going until you know where you have been.

William Wordsworth could have got his inspiration from anywhere. But I believe he may have got most of his inspiration from, of course, his personal life. In 1790, Wordsworth took a three thousand mile walking tour across Europe, for no apparent reason. It could have been to find clarity or refuge, but no one really knows for sure besides him. Either way, a good case of writers block would have been cured after that trip. It may have even been the cause of Wordsworth writing two great pieces of literature and poetry within a three-year time frame, which is highly impressive. I think that Wordsworth got ideas for his nature-like poems, like “As I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” from his traveling tour of Europe. Personally, I also think traveling Europe would be beautiful and peaceful, and it would definitely call for some great inspiration. Especially since it was a 3000 mile trip, I’m sure he saw some daffodils somewhere, and that made him create his poem. After all, great poetry is really just reoccurring thoughts collected in a moment of remembrance.