POETRY : WILLIAM WORDSWORTH [1770-1850]
Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 : Text
Full Text with Important Word-notes
Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 : William Wordsworth [1770-1850]
Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
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Important Word-notes
fair (adj.) : beautiful, fine
dull (adj.) : lacking interest, uninteresting, devoid of sense of beauty
soul (n.) : inner being, spirit
pass by (v.) : go by, ignore
sight (n.) : scene
touching (adj.) : moving, impressive
majesty (n.) : royalty
doth (v.) : old form of ‘does’ (poetical use)
garment (n.) : an item of clothing, dress
wear (v.) : be dressed in
bare (adj.) : desolate, empty
glittering (v.) : sparkling, shining
smokeless (adj.) : emitting no smoke, pollution free
steep (v.) : focus, shine
splendour (n.) : bright light, brightness
felt (v. p. of feel) : sensed
calm (n.) : peacefulness, tranquillity
glideth (v.) : glides (poetical use) flows smoothly
will (n.) : will power
mighty (adj.) : powerful, great
still (adj.) : motionless
