A Mouse's Sonnet: Discovering Complexity in Simplicity in John Clare's "The Mouse's Nest"

A Mouse's Sonnet: Discovering Complexity in Simplicity in John Clare's "The Mouse's Nest"

by: Ally Schmidt

John Clare

The Mouse’s Nest

I found a ball of grass among the hay (A)
And progged it as I passed and went away (A)
And when I looked I fancied something stirred (B)
And turned again and hoped to catch the bird (B)
When out an old mouse bolted in the wheat (C)
With all her young ones hanging at her teats[.] (C)
She looked so odd and so grotesque to me (D)
I ran and wondered what the thing could be (D)
And pushed the knapweed bunches where I stood [.] (E)
When the mouse hurried from the crawling brood (E)
The young ones squeaked and when I went away (A)
She found her nest again among the hay[.] (A)
The water o’er the pebbles scarce could run (F)
And broad old cesspools glittered in the sun[.] (F)

Written between 1832 and 1837

            When reading John Clare’s “The Mouse’s Nest” for the first time, it can be said that it’s a simple pleasant sounding poem rhythmically describing the speaker’s encounter with a mouse and her babies in their nest made of grass. You can take this poem just as it is or you can read into it even further. When taking the poem apart piece by piece you may be surprised at how much you will find in such a seemingly simplistic poem, which makes the piece even more impressive. I have found a few instances of evidence that would point to this poem being much more than what it looks to be. A simple description of seeing a mouse in the hay turns into a masterpiece in which describes a phenomenon we all participate in on a daily basis: changing, learning and discovering the natural world that surrounds us by merely observing with curious eyes and hands.

            The last lines were very peculiar to me in my first reading, after analyzing them they became the leading clues to breaking down the poem:

The water o’er the pebbles scarce could run

And broad old cesspools glittered in the sun

                                                            (13-14)

            These last lines are very different from the rest of the poem, almost out of place by how swift and out of nowhere they are introduced. This quick transition will later play a huge importance in the meaning of the poem. What I first wanted to point out was Clare’s word choice. The way he describes the cesspools as “glittering” really stuck out to me. Cesspools can be defined as tanks or wells that gather sewage, so why would he describe them as glittering? This insignificant instance is most certainly not insignificant at all. Clare used the word for a reason, which proves there is meaning and a point to adding these last two lines. In reality, one would not notice nor think about how a cesspool looks in the sun. I think that Clare is trying to say something with these two lines all on their own. The water and the pebbles described in line thirteen are natural elements, while the cesspool is a man-made element. Together they have some sense of unification. Perhaps Clare is trying to show a possibility of the natural and urban world being able to live together in a beautiful manner.

            Moving on from the glittering cesspool’s I started looking closer into the poem and found more word choices that assist the theory that this poem is complex.

And progged it as I passed and went away

And when I looked I fancied something stirred

And turned again and hoped to catch the bird

                                                            (3-5)

            As Clare writes, he finds a ball of grass among the hay (1), so he “progged” it. To prog can be defined as to search or forage. Clare is showing that he is curious about the mouse’s nest, curious enough to stop whatever he was doing, observe, and investigate it, and then later write a poem about it. This instance certainly left a mark on Clare. He “fancied” when it stirred, which shows that he was surprised and almost excited by curiosity to see more, which is proven by the last line. Throughout the rest of the poem he backs up his curiosity as he describes discovering what was hidden in the nest, the mouse and her babies, and then observing the mouse run from her nest and returning to her nest after he had walked away.                                   

            After all of the observations the last two lines are introduced, and this is how they are linked with the rest of the poem. Clare is definitely trying to show a sense of moving on in his poem. Every day we and the natural world interact, something as little and simple as searching through a mouse nest and then observing the disturbed mouse run from his home and then back is an interaction with nature. When we observe we change the world around us, and as we change we are also passing through and continuing on with our own lives. The description of the interaction with the mouse symbolizes the relationship we share with the natural world while the final lines symbolize moving past that interact to a new one in which also shows a change in perception of the surroundings when Clare is moving forward.

            Clare turns a simple instance in life into an intimate moment by observing, learning, and loving the natural world around him. If you cannot see this through just the poem itself it is proven through the poems structure. As you can see above the poem is in iambic pentameter and the poem has fourteen lines. This is a traditional sonnet. One would have some sort of loving connection with the circumstances to want to structure the poem into a complex sonnet form. This shows that Clare was thinking about what he was doing, that there is a loving connection with the natural world even if we don’t notice it at first.

            In conclusion Clare has transformed simplicity into complexity. He opens us up to the natural world and our relationship to it, how everything we do has some sort of change to our world. I feel that Clare wants to see men, animals, urban, and natural elements live together in a unified and structured way.  

William Wordsworth’s: “The Solitary Reaper”

Before reading the poem “The Solitary Reaper” by William Wordsworth, the reader is provided with a clue as to what the poem is about through the title alone. If one were to look up the definition of “solitary” and “reaper” they would discover that to reap is to harvest a crop, in this case it would be to harvest within nature, and to be in solitude is to be by oneself, alone with nature. For a person to pour out their true self while being alone with nature is something Wordsworth wished all would partake in.

This poem differs from the majority of Wordsworth’s written works since he tends to write mostly of his own personal experiences with nature. Although he is writing of his experience of walking through the fields and hills the subject is primarily focused on the reaping vocalist. Her voice, the state he finds her in, physically cements his body to the ground that he has to listen; she’s captivated him with her song.

[9] No Nightingale did ever chaunt

[10] More welcome notes to weary bands

[11] Of travellers in some shady haunt,

[12] Among Arabian sands:

[13] No sweeter voice was ever heard

[14] In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,

[15] Breaking the silence of the seas

[16] Among the farthest Hebrides.

As he expresses in the second stanza, lines 13 and 14 specifically, he has never heard a voice as enchanting as hers. The comparisons he makes to her voice is of a high regard seeing as nightingale’s are known for their impressively loud, beautiful voices carry through the air, her voice surpasses all of that. It is a moment he relishes and does his best to put into words of the appreciation he feels that he is the one who gets to hear her song.

[25] Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang

[26] As if her song could have no ending;

[27] I saw her singing at her work,

[28] And o'er the sickle bending;--

[29] I listened, motionless and still;

[30] And, as I mounted up the hill,

[31] The music in my heart I bore,

[32] Long after it was heard no more.

The last stanza, to me, stood out the most from the rest of the poem. Whatever the young woman is singing it’s poetry to Wordsworth and those emotions transfers into his inner being. She immersed herself in nature, not necessarily becoming one with nature, but without the distractions of every day life in the city it seems she felt at peace to sing within the safe haven of that field. It was fortunate for Wordsworth to come across her path and to remain where he was just to listen to what this human being articulated in his favorite kind of setting. The ending of the poem is what strikes me the most as he writes the loveliest two lines that express his gratitude to her song as best he could. Lines 31 and 32 say that the song she chanted will be carried in his heart, even when he can’t physically hear her voice anymore.

Wordsworth deeply desired for people to feel the same calm he did when he was in nature. The fact that he found another breathing soul giving a piece of themselves while in nature is something he had to document and share with others. With “the Solitary Reaper” he did just that. With words that placed you in that mentality immediately one can feel that peaceful moment after reading the last stanza of this poem.

To view the whole poem itself with notes, visit:
http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/2370.html by Ian Lancashire of the English Department at the University of Toronto

Dove Cottage, The Wordsworth Museum

http://www.wordsworth.org.uk/index.asp

This is a link to the Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Museum. This Cottage was the cottage that Wordsworth lived in for most of his life. It is the place where many of his poems were set, as well as much of the surrounding area giving him inspiration for his poetry. Their mission, below, sums up the Wordsworth Trust which explains the significance of this living artifact.

"Our Mission

The Wordsworth Trust is a living memorial to the life and poetry of William Wordsworth and his contemporaries. It was founded in 1891 'for the eternal possession of those who love English poetry all over the world.' Though international in its connections and outreach, its focus is Dove Cottage and the hamlet of Town End, Grasmere, where the poet lived, wrote and found inspiration."

This site has many resources and links within it that lead to many interesting articles, but most importantly the site itself is packed full of information. Full histories on Coleridge, Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth, Collections of the poems, the cottage history and information, background on romanticism and common themes seen in Wordsworth's writings. There are also school supplements for teaching material on Wordsworth and the time period he was part of.

This site is the professional site of a business, essentially based around a museum of a poet and his literary era, which shaped poetry and literature for the future. So along with information about the subject, there are job opportunities, internships and ways to donate and contact the business.

Sneak a Peek at this site and the knowledge is in bountiful supply.

Robert Burns' "The Fornicator"

Robert Burns (1759–1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. The theme of He can be credited with 716 pieces of work that have been recorded here...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/robertburns/

On this website, the reader cannot listen to the audio which has been produced for these poems but one can certainly take the time to read the information given to them on this site. If BBC took the time to complete all of those tasks, then why wouldn't they make the audio available to all countries instead of just their own? To spread the works and to be able to truly appreciate the poems written by Burns, audio would most definitely  help.

The poem I have chosen to discuss is "The Fornicator", written in 1785. The impression I first got after reading the poem was an importance of sexuality and a sense of immaturity. It is noted that Robert Burns had an affair with a servant girl named Elizabeth Paton and from this came a daughter and this poem.

Right off the bat with the title we can see that it is sex that both parties agree to. Fornicating is mutual understanding of sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. Back in this time it was looked down upon from the church of Scotland, or Kirk*. They would often times make the offenders sit on a stool and let the congregation stare at them to make them feel ashamed.

Ye jovial boys who love the joys. (Line 1)

The blissful joys of Lovers; (Line 2)



Burn's speaks about the joys of lovers as an everyday thing and categorizes all boys as wanting the same thing. The blissfull joy of lovers is his way of saying what he is doing is okay and actually entertaining.

Throughout the whole poem it is easy to see that he either cannot see the significance of what he is doing or he just doesn't care, which brings along the idea of immaturity. Instead of repenting for his actions, he flirts. Burns does not appear to be concerned with the punishment that the church would bring upon him for his sins. The idea that he chooses sexuality over religion is evident throughout the whole poem. The sole reason they were going to church was because they made a mistake in the first place. We can detect flirting going on during the congregation itself...

Before the Congregation wide (Line 9)
I pass'd the muster fairly,
My handsome Betsey by my side,
We gat our ditty rarely;
But my downcast eye by chance did spy
What made my lips to water,
Those limbs so clean where I, between,
Commenc'd a Fornicator. (Line 16)



Afterwards, they departed and committed the same offence, which leads them right back to the start.

With rueful face and signs of grace (Line 17)
I pay’d the buttock-hire,
The night was dark and thro’ the park
I could not but convoy her;
A parting kiss, what could I less,
My vows began to scatter,
My Betsey fell-lal de dal lal lal,
I am a Fornicator (Line 32)

He writes about how his vows began to scatter as a parting kiss takes place, making him a weak and easily persuaded individual. It is noted that this was after a church congregation and instead of focusing on that he was more worried about his lover named Betsey and bad thoughts which rushed through his mind during mass.

Robert Burns is seen as a dark person with no regard for the church. He repeats being a fornicator six times in the poem, giving it much importance. It seems to the reader that the same process will continue to go on and on as he and Elizabeth continue to make each other happy, not worrying about the church.

Of course, there are two sides to every story. Burns also references the joyfulness in fornicating with this woman. It can be seen as a critique of the church and it's ways. Yes, Burns and his lover may not be married as they do these acts, but he speaks about how much they like each other. He states how he is willing to share everything with her and take care of his son, no matter what. He also states how she has 'clean' limbs and doesn't view her as a dirty woman because of what they are doing. He just wants her because she is beautiful, not because she has sex with him.

In the last stanza, Burns goes on to speak about the kings, heroes, captains, commanders, etc. If all these men are looked up to and commence in fornicating, why can't Burns? He is as much a man as they are and it isn't right to say who can and who can't. This stanza could be seen as him telling the people in the church that they could have done it too and not to point fingers.

For more information and background on this poem, visit:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/robertburns/works/the_fornicator/

Also, for more background on Robert Burns himself, visit:

http://www.robertburns.org/

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk

Assistance with Analyzing Romantic Poetry

William Blake's poetry and other Romantic poetry can be difficult to understand at times. Commonly, there are underlying stories in each of the poems which can be discovered by researching the poet. The author of the following blog, Carol Rumens, decided to pay tribute to Romantic poets by blogging and providing information about the authors and the poems themselves.

When first clinking on the link, you will be taken to Wordsworth's poem, "Nutting". Here, Rumens has provided us with the poem itself, and also background on Wordsworth. She has done an exceptional job with her analysis' and allows for the reader to discover the meaning and even the syntax of the poems. For example, Rumens has given her readers a summary of the poem at first, and then told us why Wordsworth wrote the poem and in which context it was written. This has helped me to understand the complex poetry of Wordsworth and will also help you to make your own analysis on the poems.


In my opinion, it is important to get to know a poet before you read their poetry. The background information in the blog will assist you in what the poet was implying throughout the poem, and as I said before, the poets underlying story or moral.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/jan/26/romantic-poets-nutting-william-wordsworth


When continuing to peruse Rumens blog, I have noticed that she has also analyzed poems by Robert Burns, John Keats, and Samuel Coleridge. This blog will be great help to anyone studying Romantic poets!

This is a great post about Keats's poem "The Eve of St. Agnes" and his own thoughts on marriage--a few weeks *before* he fell in love!

Today in Literature: The Eve of St. Agnes

William Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper"

William Blake, one of the first of many great romantic poets, is most popular for his ground breaking work from his Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience poetry selections. If you have read both sections, it is vindicated that the poetry from each is related in multiple ways. Both sections noticeably have many similar poem titles and frequently, a poem that begins in Songs of Innocence seems to flow and connect with the same titled poem in Songs of Experience.

 The poem that I have enjoyed the most was from the Songs of Innocence section called "The Chimney Sweeper". The idea from this poem that bothered me the most revolves around the parents. It was quite typical that the parents of the chimney sweepers would send their children of to work as young as seven years of age. Owners of chimney's needed children because of how small the width was in the chimney. Although many of these boy's were parish children or orphans, many were sold into the trade by their family, just like the boy's from Blake's poems.

 

 As we can see in the section below, the narrator of the poem's parents have sold him off young. Below is a section from "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Innocence:

 When my mother died I was very young,

And my father sold me while yet my tounge,

Could scarcely cry 'weep weep weep weep'.

So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.

 We can clearly see how young this boy is by Blake writing "weep weep weep weep" instead of "sweep sweep sweep sweep". Blake did an extraordinary job with diction in the poem. Instead of just writing how young this boy was, he made us feel sympathy for the child because he was so young that he could not even speak correctly.

 We also see in the poem how much hatred the chimney sweeps had for their parents. Blake made it quite clear that he was disgusted by the idea of these children's parents trading them off for work. We read in the poem that on the boys who goes by the name of Tom Dacre, see's Angels in the middle of the night. The Angel tells the boy that his father sold him and that if he continues to be good and work, he will die and go to heaven. It is absurd that this poor child wanted to be dead than live! Below is the section from the poem:

The Angel told Tom if he'd be a good boy,

He'd have God for his father & never want joy

Overall, the parents of the sweep children were harsh and stole their children’s childhood. As we can see from Blake’s poem, the children lacked love and attention from the parents. These parents sold their children off at soon as they could and trained them to work since day one.

For more information and history on chimney sweeps, please visit:

http://www.ruchalachimney.com/history.html