To the Cuckoo - William Wordsworth
/To the Cuckoo - William Wordsworth/
Delight and Reverie in Spring’s Mysterious Call
Original Poem (English), line by line:
O blithe new-comer! I have heard,
I hear thee and rejoice.
O Cuckoo! shall I call thee Bird,
Or but a wandering Voice?
While I am lying on the grass
Thy twofold shout I hear;
From hill to hill it seems to pass,
At once far off, and near.
Though babbling only to the Vale
Of Sunshine and of Flowers,
Thou bringest unto me a tale
Of visionary hours.
Thrice welcome, darling of the Spring!
Even yet thou art to me
No bird, but an invisible thing,
A voice, a mystery;
The same whom in my school-boy days
I listened to; that Cry
Which made me look a thousand ways
In bush, and tree, and sky.
To seek thee did I often rove
Through woods and on the green;
And thou wert still a hope, a love;
Still longed for, never seen.
And I can listen to thee yet;
Can lie upon the plain
And listen, till I do beget
That golden time again.
O blessed Bird! the earth we pace
Again appears to be
An unsubstantial, faery place;
That is fit home for Thee!
William Wordsworth’s poem “To the Cuckoo” expresses his delighted response to the bird’s call, which resonates through the springtime landscape. The cuckoo’s song triggers not only present admiration but also nostalgic recollections, reconnecting the poet with the childlike wonder he felt in his ‘school-boy days.’ Although the poem’s setting is simple—lying on the grass, hearing the cuckoo echo from hill to hill—Wordsworth imbues the experience with a sense of magic. He portrays the bird as an ‘invisible thing,’ a voice that embodies mystery and wonder.
The recurrent theme of memory is crucial. Wordsworth recalls running through woods and meadows, always hoping for a glimpse of the cuckoo itself. Though it remained unseen, the bird came to signify hope, imagination, and the youthful impulse to seek marvels in the everyday. In many ways, the cuckoo becomes a poetic symbol for the Romantic ideal of encountering nature in a state of awe and receptiveness.
Additionally, the poem highlights how nature can transform our perceptions. Even as an adult, Wordsworth finds himself lying on the plain, listening until the ‘golden time’ of his youthful innocence returns. The cuckoo’s persistent call thus bridges past and present, inviting him to inhabit a world that seems ‘an unsubstantial, faery place,’ where the boundaries between reality and enchantment dissolve.
Ultimately, “To the Cuckoo” celebrates the simplicity of a single, repeated birdcall as a catalyst for profound emotional insight. The poet’s wish to preserve this fleeting moment demonstrates the Romantic belief that communion with nature deepens our sense of wonder and enlivens our imagination. By connecting momentary sound to lasting memory, Wordsworth invites us to recognize how nature’s smallest details can unlock vast inner landscapes of reverie, nostalgia, and joy. (Approx. 270 words)
Key points
1. The cuckoo’s unseen presence evokes mystery, urging the speaker to recapture a childlike sense of wonder.
2. Wordsworth’s memories highlight how simple sights and sounds can trigger profound emotional responses.
3. The poem reinforces Romantic ideals of nature as a source of inspiration and spiritual renewal.
4. The tension between what is heard and not seen underscores the theme of imagination.
5. Even brief natural encounters can reconnect us with lost innocence and enchantment.
