Happy Birthday, William Wordsworth!  Born on this day in 1770 (died April 23, 1850), England's poet laureate near the end of his life, he helped usher in the Romantic period of poetry with his friend Samuel Coleridge.  Perhaps a pantheist, perhaps not, but clearly he loved Nature and the joys, sweet memories, and healing it brings.


​I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (also known simply as Daffodils)

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not be but gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Yesterday was the vernal equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere.  Spring is usually a time for happiness and celebrations and lots of pretty pictures of flowers.  Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there's definitely a more somber attitude these days.  Even though life has changed and how we do things has changed, Nature still moves through its seasons.  There are rabbits and birds and blooming trees and flowers to still enjoy from our homes and yards, and we all know spending time in Nature helps with depression and anxiety even for a little while.  Please stay safe and follow the current guidelines as you and your loved ones navigate these challenging times.

In celebration of spring, we are sharing a poem by Mary Oliver that was posted on the Mary Oliver Facebook Page and has been shared in the Universal Pantheists Facebook group.
​

Mary Oliver
Yesterday at 9:19 AM · Happy first day of Spring!