'Our' Poem

I want to try avoiding sounding pretentious or smug when I say this, but poetry has been and still is incredibly important to me. I have read it in times of great sadness and stress and I have also turned to it to help me express some of my happiest moments.

Although I have previously studied it from a purely academic view, I prefer now to simply to read it, think about it and engage with it. I don't analyse structure or context. I try only to enjoy it for the message it conveys.

The poem below is one of my all time favourites and it is really special to me. Lots of couples have a special song or movie that they consider 'theirs'. Hubby and I have a poem. This is it:

First Love

I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet,
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
And stole my heart away complete.
My face turned pale as deadly pale.
My legs refused to walk away,
And when she looked, what could I ail?
My life and all seemed turned to clay.

And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start --
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice?
Is love's bed always snow?
She seemed to hear my silent voice,
Not love's appeals to know.
I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left its dwelling-place
And can return no more.

John Clare (1793 - 1864)