Friday, April 20, 2012

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!




11 comments:

  1. Really can't miss the dance of Daffodils.

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  2. Happy Spring! I love daffodils too! Love your post today, Phyllis. What a sweet surprise to be greeted with a daffodil made by your sweet Granddaughter.

    Mary Jane

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  3. Our daffodils came way too early this year, but they were beautiful!

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  4. Three of my favorite things: Daffodils, teacups and poetry!

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  5. I don't have it in front of me now but (I think) in "The Great Tea Rooms of Britain" by Bruce Richardson their is a recipe for Grassmere Gingerbread. A customer made it and it was quite good!

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  6. Love daffodils and this poem is lovely. My mother once gave me a daffodil teacup, but I was too young to appreciate it and gave it away. Now I do wish I had it. Love daffodils for the fact that they usually are blooming for my birthday.

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  7. I love that tea cup, Phyllis. I have a similar one and I will be posting about daffodils and tea soon as well. Happy Spring!
    Blessings, Beth

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  8. Hi! This is our second tea party together, Bernideen's Anne of Green Gables. I love your post today-flowers tea and poetry, how can you go wrong? Your daffodil teacup is darling. I also love Wordsworth poetry. Have you ever read his poem The Solitary Reaper? Thank-you for sharing your pictures of Wordsworth home. Denise from englishpurpleribbon.blogspot.com

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  9. Such a pretty daffodil teacup and plate. I don't have a teacup, but I have a daffodil mug and plate set. My daffodils are just now blooming. Last year they bloomed in mid May, as usual. Spring is sure different this year in Michigan.
    Nancy

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  10. Oh, everything about this post is just lovely -- the teawares, the poem and the sweet memories!

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  11. I agree with Angela. I will have to be on the lookout for daffodil china!

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