Poem Hunter 12 - Ode To Classic Poets Of Poem Hunter - William Wordsworth 2 Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon
Poem Hunter 12 - Ode To Classic Poets Of Poem Hunter - William Wordsworth 2
A true episode,
When I came to Bombay,
Just after my graduation in Kerala,
I was an innocent twenty year old
Still unaware of the ways of the world and its people.
Very near the house I lived,
With my parents and siblings in Colaba,
Lived a famous writer,
Author of many books in English.
One morning, I went to meet this writer
In the hope of getting some encouragement
And gaining some confidence in the new city.
When I reached his house,
I saw him sitting in the portico
Eating his breakfast.
He looked at me with a strange expression.
Then in a sarcastic way, he muttered:
"O! So, you are the new dancer! "
Before I could nod my head or answer,
He went into a long soliloquy,
Spatting out words in anger.
I sensed some disgust as well.
With food in his mouth he ranted:
"You dancers! What do you know?
Except moving your hands and legs, here and there,
The whole lot of you are dumb, you know nothing!
Do you know the meaning of life?
Have you seen ghosts dancing at night?
What message do you want to convey to the society?
I was speechless, as I never expected this kind of reception.
I thought great writers would be very kind.
But my impression was incorrect.
The writer continued:
"Do you know who William Wordsworth is?
Any idea of "Daffodils"?
That's where I took the courage to butt in.
"Yes! " I said
"Then recite the poem ‘Daffodils'! " He ordered.
He seemed certain that I would never recite the poem.
I began to recite the poem calmly in a soft note.
"I wandered lonely as a cloud……………"
I recited all the four verses without a single mistake
For I knew the poem by heart.
"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."
Till today, I cannot forget the funny expression
On the writer's face with his mouth open
And his eyes almost falling out of its socket.
How my heart with pleasure filled and danced with the daffodils! !
The moment I completed the poem,
I just turned and walked off.
I did not want to hear anything more
From this arrogant, proud and egoistic man.
That is another one of your remarkable stories! Which you have the best of, and obviously a very clear memory too. Thank you so much for sharing. I can't wait to hear more stories from your colorful life. Another GREAT POEM!
Perfect portrayal of the scene. It is as dramatic as it is revealing- revealing about the writer you chose not to name, revealing about Wordsworth's thrall over the literary world even after 170 years after he passed away and revealing much about yourself- a young gritty girl with great literary taste bent on exploring new horizons. Thanks for sharing this lovely anecdote which is hilarious as well as inspiring.
To dance with daffodils all our hearts sing for you. What a wonderfully expressive poem. So unique. To my favorites.
Wow! Remarkable poem. Good to learn from experience..... hehe! And Daffodils! One of the most spirited and of course spiritual poem from the great poet. I remember Tintern Abbey Lines as well. May be because it was the great poet, Satchidanandan Sir, who taught us this poem in the college. Thank you Geeta...
Amazing write and a beautiful story of your life giving emphasis to the wonderful works of the classic Poet Wordsworth. A one of a kind write that lingers in the mind of a reader. Onto my Poem List.
The expression of your meeting with William Wordsworth is so touching and hilarious. It may be cited some lines...I saw him sitting in the portico / Eating his breakfast. / He looked at me with a strange expression./ Then in a sarcastic way, he muttered: / " O! So, you are the new dancer! " / Before I could nod my head or answer, . Well executed poem. Beautiful ode to classic poet William Wordsworth. Thanks for sharing.
Sir, there seems to be some error. The poet could not have met William Wordsworth (who died around 1850 AD) but had a chance to meet a well-known Indian writer in Mumbai. However, as it is clear from the above poem, the meeting turned out to be an anti-climax.
I liked the way the story is told. t was fine you knew the poem, but even if not, I don't know what point he wanted to make. Incidentally, none of my own poems I can ever recite by memory. At school, they used to ask such questions: write the first ten lines of a poem... and I used to hate these questions.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/2/2024 6:18:15 PM # 1.0.0.1119
" Dances with the m daffodils" ! ! Pleasure, Dedication. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.