William Wordsworth ( 7 April 1770- 23 April 1850)

The first eco-warrior

The great champion of plain speech (“the language really used by men”), the radical poet of empathy with those on the margins and the rural poor, the most persuasive of all environmentalists.

Happy Birthday, William Wordsworth! Our greatest nature poet. The World needs your wisdom more than ever now.

“Nature is a teacher whose wisdom we can learn, and without which any human life is vain and incomplete.”

Nota bene

This year,Coronavirus crisis, has now coincided with William Wordsworth's 250th Birthday.

To honour his birthday I offer you the following, which I sincerely believe speaks to us all at this time of global crisis. May this soothe you and be a path of healing and hope to you, as it has been for me.

Coronavirus and William Wordsworth Healing Message of Hope in Nature

William Wordsworth and the triumph of spirit

 When a tsunami of crisis hit him on the shores of fear, hopelessness, helplessness, self-doubt and destruction, he let nature to embrace him to give him hope for better days to come.

In times of uncertainty, crisis and confusion let nature be your refuge, your saviour, as William Wordsworth did so convincingly.

A shared crisis connects us all: Let the spirit of nature be what will bring us together, moving us from darkness to light, winter to spring. Nature is also a symbol of renewal and regeneration that we need at the moment. Therefore, as Wordsworth has asked us: ‘Let Nature be Your Teacher.’

“Nature is a teacher whose wisdom we can learn, and without which any human life is vain and incomplete.”

 To this end, it is my pleasure to offer you the following to acknowledge and celebrate the 250th Birthday of William Wordswoth, as a way of connecting each other with nature and hope for the future.

Yes, it is true: Nature heals, Nature soothes, Nature restores, Nature connects: Yes, Nature is what makes us Human.

 

The Tables Turned

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;

Or surely you'll grow double:

Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;

Why all this toil and trouble? 

The sun above the mountain's head,

A freshening lustre mellow

Through all the long green fields has spread,

His first sweet evening yellow.

Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife:

Come, hear the woodland linnet,

How sweet his music! on my life,

There's more of wisdom in it.

And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!

He, too, is no mean preacher:

Come forth into the light of things,

Let Nature be your teacher.