All About Books discussion

I Am

BY JOHN CLARE


I am—yet what I am none cares or knows;
My friends forsake me like a memory lost:
I am the self-consumer of my woes—
They rise and vanish in oblivious host,
Like shadows in love’s frenzied stifled throes
And yet I am, and live—like vapours tossed

Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dreams,
Where there is neither sense of life or joys,
But the vast shipwreck of my life’s esteems;
Even the dearest that I loved the best
Are strange—nay, rather, stranger than the rest.

I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass below—above the vaulted sky.

I'm posting this poem a day early - I may not have time tomorrow.

"I Am" (or "Lines: I Am") is a poem written by English poet John Clare in late 1844 or 1845, and published in 1848. It was composed when Clare was in the Northampton General Lunatic Asylum (commonly Northampton County Asylum, and later renamed St Andrew's Hospital), isolated by his mental illness from his family and friends.

The house steward of the asylum, W. F. Knight, who worked there from April 1845 to the end of January 1850, transcribed the poem for Clare. The poem was first published on 1 January 1848 in the Bedford Times, or per other sources in the Annual Report of the Medical Superintendent of Saint Andrews for 1864, and later appeared with slightly altered text in Life of John Clare, the biography of the poet by Frederick Martin.

The poem is known as Clare's "last lines" and is one of his most famous.

Thank you, Gill, that is very moving.

Gill wrote: "I'm posting this poem a day early - I may not have time tomorrow.

"I Am" (or "Lines: I Am") is a poem written by English poet John Clare in late 1844 or 1845, and published in 1848..."
Thank you Gill for this poem. I studied it at university long time ago, on a course about "rural poetry". There is everything in these lines: melody, rhythm, tension, imagination, metaphors, ambiguity and even irony. Clare's irony is expressed first on human condition and then on himself. But for the poet, life has got a deep value.

Yearning, that is what strikes me. For a simpler, easier time.

I am fond of Clare Gill. This one is a little different than the others I've read, more sombre, but beautiful. It adds even more meaning that it was written from the asylum.

A friend of mine bought me a copy of The Quickening Maze about Clare's time in the asylum, but I haven't gotten round to it yet. Has anyone read it?

Diane S ☔ wrote: "Yearning, that is what strikes me. For a simpler, easier time."

Exactly Diane - this is how I see it too!

There are some poems by Wordsworth that remind me of this one.

Greg, The Quickening Maze sounds intriguing.

Greg, I can't remember whether I read it when it was first published, or whether I intended to read it but didn't!

Gill, first published? gosh, you must be old, lol:) hahaha:)

Oh, yes, I forgot to say I meant The Quickening Maze, not John Clare's poem!

Gill wrote: "Oh, yes, I forgot to say I meant The Quickening Maze, not John Clare's poem!"

lol :)

Sorry, Gill:)

Good choice Gill! I have not read any Clare before - this one is certainly poignant.

Very moving, Clare is new to me.
His accurate description of a depressive episode (or at least my depressive episodes) really surprised me. I especially like that he sustained hope for relief
"And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept
Untroubling and untroubled..."

The Wikipedia article about his life is sad & heartwarming. He was the son of very poor farm laborers; his talent earned him a better life/income. When he was overcome by mental illness, his friends helped him stay in "humane" institutions.

Joan wrote: "Very moving, Clare is new to me.
His accurate description of a depressive episode (or at least my depressive episodes) really surprised me. I especially like that he sustained hope for relief
"And..."

Great insights Joan!

I want to read more about Clare's life. I feel attracted to him and his poetry; I've only read anthologized poems before, but I love the simple love of nature in the ones I've read. I don’t feel any posing in him.

William Barnes is another "rural" English poet of the same era. Select Poems of William Barnes;

I think I will add comparing their work to my procrastination list.
Barnes is the informal poet laureate of Dorset England, which is my husband's home county.

Great poem, thank you for posting. I met Clare for the first time last year, when I saw Penny dreadful and my favourite character named himself after this poet. At the end of the series he declare one of his poems and I got struck by his sensibility. I can't remember the title, I'll go searching...

Sorry, I was wrong. The last poem is by Wordsworth...

Anarchic Rain wrote: "Sorry, I was wrong. The last poem is by Wordsworth..."

It was beautiful Anarchic Rain! There were several moments in the show where poetry or literature (Milton) were used in a way that I found to be really wonderful!

Joan wrote: "William Barnes is another "rural" English poet of the same era. Select Poems of William Barnes;

I think I will add comparing their work to my procrastination list.
Barnes is the i..."

Thanks Joan! I'd never heard of Barnes - I'll check him out!

Greg wrote: "Joan wrote: "William Barnes is another "rural" English poet of the same era. Select Poems of William Barnes;

I think I will add comparing their work to my procrastination list.
Ba..."

He is quite tricky to read because he wrote in the Dorset dialect. It is easier to listen to it https://youtu.be/W0dm5aKelas. This is his poem "Day's Work a-done" posted by Alan Doel.
I am pretty sure that the first or second photo of farm laborers sitting in a field are workers from my husbands's ancestor's farm.
Also, the actual Dorset accent is much broader, with more z's and oi's.

Anarchic Rain wrote: "Great poem, thank you for posting. I met Clare for the first time last year, when I saw Penny dreadful and my favourite character named himself after this poet. At the end of the series he declare ..."

What did you see? Was it a play? Or a movie? Do you recommend it?

Joan wrote: "Anarchic Rain wrote: "Great poem, thank you for posting. I met Clare for the first time last year, when I saw Penny dreadful and my favourite character named himself after this poet. At the end of ..."

I believe she's talking about a TV series Joan, Penny Dreadful, which combines the characters of Dorian Gray, Dr. Frankenstein, Dracula, among others. It's extremely violent at times; so depending on your tolerance level for that, it might not be appropriate. But the creator and writer of the series, John Logan, is a Tony Award winning playwright (of Red among others); so unsurprisingly, it's an extremely literate show and quotes such writers as William Wordsworth, John Keats and John Milton in lovely and affecting ways. It's set in the Victorian era.

I thought the first season was extraordinary, in no small part to the truly astonishing acting of Eva Green. The tone of the show is extremely dark and downbeat though - if you watch be prepared for that. I was a little disappointed in the second season as it felt like more standard horror at times, but seasons 1 and 3 again were neck pricklingly good, especially season 1.

Joan wrote: "He is quite tricky to read because he wrote in the Dorset dialect. It is easier to listen to it https://youtu.be/W0dm5aKelas. This is his poem "Day's Work a-done" posted by Alan Doel.
I am pretty sure that the first or second photo of farm laborers sitting in a field are workers from my husbands's ancestor's farm.
Also, the actual Dorset accent is much broader, with more z's and oi's. ."

Love it Joan! - he conjures such a wonderful sense of the place.

Greg wrote: "Joan wrote: "Anarchic Rain wrote: "Great poem, thank you for posting. I met Clare for the first time last year, when I saw Penny dreadful and my favourite character named himself after this poet. A..."

Yes, just as Greg said, it's a tv series, and though it's "new" it became one of my fave of all time! Really, the story is truly gothic, as in Poe's writing, SHE (Eva Greeen) is amazing, I can't think of a better character than Vanessa Ives for her. And don't let me talk about John Clare, the Creature, or I'll start crying right now.
The only thing I didn't like so much was Josh Hartnett as Mr Chandler, I found him too childish for the role.
But other than this, ther's nothing. It's perfect, including ending (even if it was unfortunately interrupted).
I recommend it if you like the genre.

Anarchic Rain wrote: "Greg wrote: "Joan wrote: "Anarchic Rain wrote: "Great poem, thank you for posting. I met Clare for the first time last year, when I saw Penny dreadful and my favourite character named himself after..."

I agree Anarchic Rain! And yes definitely, gothic is exactly right.