The following essay reviews a poem called First Love by 19th-century poet John Clare. In it, he describes his experience with falling in love for the first time. The work encapsulates many various emotions that Clare experiences throughout the narrative. Moreover, the poem mentions some details that make the depiction significantly more vivid. This helps the reader feel more involved in Clare’s feelings, as though the former and the latter were close friends.
The first quatrain depicts the anxiety and allure the writer feels toward the woman he likes. Following the introduction to the object of his affection, Clare demonstrates how captured he is by her beauty. The next four lines return to expressing the turmoil and excitement he feels when he is around the woman (Clare, n.d.). John admits to feeling shocked, but rather in a positive way than a negative one.
The second verse further elaborates on the poet’s turmoil, as he uses the mention of blindness to accentuate his excitement. Clare references to nature as an allusion to his feelings, as it turns just as dark as the world around him (Clare, n.d.). The sense of adrenaline eventually revealed itself in his expression, as though the latter was speaking for him. Thus, despite his anxiety, Clare’s emotions are becoming more obvious.
The last verse references to nature in rhetorical questions to explain the poet’s musings on his feelings. John believes that while the woman sees his emotions, she is not fully aware of the context. The last four lines mention a sense of inevitability in this situation and remind the reader of this experience being Clare’s first one. Thus, the depiction comes to an end, as the last line acknowledges that the event is irreversible.
Work Cited
Clare, John. “First Love by John Clare.” Poetry Foundation.