Introduction

Lyrical Ballads is a collection of poems which is written by two great poets of their time William Wordsworth ; Samuel Taylor Coleridge, its first edition was first published in the 1798. The most of the poems in Lyrical ballads were written by Wordsworth, four poems were contibuted by Coleridge including his most famous poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". The lyrical ballad is said to have begun the movement of romanticism in english poetry, the basic idea was to take the art of poetry into the reach of common people, in aspect of language and feelings. Its Second Edition was published in 1800, contains some more poems by wordsworth, in this edition Wordsworth also added a preface in which he discribed his thoughts and understanding on poetry. The Lyrical Ballads holds a very important place in english literature, as it significantly tried to change the course of English Poetry and made it to be easily understood by common people. Here I am posting both the 1st and the 2nd edition of Lyrical Ballads, which are freely available on many places on internet. This blog is my tribute to the William Wordsworth and his Lyrical Ballads.

LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRING.

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it griev'd my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower,
The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopp'd and play'd:
Their thoughts I cannot measure,
But the least motion which they made,
It seem'd a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If I these thoughts may not prevent,
If such be of my creed the plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

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