Daffodils, Teacups and Poetry

Nothing says spring more than daffodils.    Below is a Royal Albert daffodil teacup  titled "Friendship."    It is one in a series of 12 teacups. In the language of flowers, daffodils stand for respect.

Since I don't have daffodils growing in my yard, I purchased  some potted ones  at a garden shop to enjoy.

 

A few years ago I saw a beautiful set of dishes in an antique store.   They were made in Hohenberg, Bavaria and the pattern was "Daffodil."  I liked them at first sight and bought them.

During a 2001 trip to England, our tour guide took us to Dove Cottage in Grasmere [in England's Lake District] to see the home of poet, William Wordsworth.  He authored  the famous poem, "The Daffodils."  It was written in 1804 and published in 1807.  It is considered by many to be his most famous work, and it has the distinction of being one of the most memorized pieces of poetry.

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud

that floats on high o'er vales and hills,

when all at once I saw a crowd,

a host, of golden daffodils;

beside the lake, beneath the trees,

fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the milky way,

they stretched in never-ending line

along the margin of a bay;

then thousand saw I at a glance

tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

a poet could not but be gay,

in such a jocund company;

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought

what wealth the show to me had brought:

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.

* * *

The day we arrived home our daughter and three grandchildren were at the airport to greet us and drive us home.   One of our granddaughters, who was just six years old at the time, presented me with a welcome home gift that she had made.   It was a large daffodil made out of construction paper.  It was the perfect gift!