Observations placeholder
Clare, John - I love to see these chimney sweeps sail by
Identifier
000125
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
This poem can be read as a gentle simple straightforward poem about crows or the symbolism can be added. The reference to croaking joy is an allusion to ecstasy
Painting by John Atkinson Grimshaw
A description of the experience
John Clare– from the Everyman's poetry collection
I love to see these chimney sweeps sail by
And hear them o'er the gnarled forest croak
Then sosh* askew from the hid woodman's stroke
That in the woods their daily labours ply.
I love the sooty crow, nor would provoke
Its March day exercise of croaking joy;
I love to see it sailing to and fro
While field and woods and waters spread below
* Plunge suddenly