““In Liverpool you're a poet one minute, but the In Liverpool you're a poet one minute, but the next minute you're talking about football, next minute you're talking about football, or you're buying bus tickets, or someone's or you're buying bus tickets, or someone's

kicking your head in outside a pub. kicking your head in outside a pub. It's all part of living.It's all part of living.””

The Lake The Lake PoetsPoets

The Lake The Lake DistrictDistrict AreaArea

The Lake The Lake DistrictDistrict AreaArea

The Lake The Lake DistrictDistrict AreaAreaThe Lake District National Park is England's The Lake District National Park is England's largest and covers 2292 kmlargest and covers 2292 km²²There are 12 million visitors a year There are 12 million visitors a year 42,239 people live within the boundaries of the 42,239 people live within the boundaries of the National ParkNational ParkOver 6000 known archaeological sites and Over 6000 known archaeological sites and monuments dating from prehistory to World War monuments dating from prehistory to World War IIIImix of lakes, farmland, fell, woodland and mix of lakes, farmland, fell, woodland and settlement gives each valley a visual and cultural settlement gives each valley a visual and cultural distinctiveness of its own.distinctiveness of its own.

The Lake The Lake PoetsPoetsgroup of English poets who spent time in the group of English poets who spent time in the Lake District, and whose writing was Lake District, and whose writing was influenced by the landscape that influenced by the landscape that surrounded themsurrounded themNo No ““poetry schoolpoetry school””Considered as part of the romantic Considered as part of the romantic movementmovementSamuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth

The Lake The Lake PoetsPoetsWordsworth was a son of the Lakes, born in Wordsworth was a son of the Lakes, born in CockermouthCockermouthThe Wordsworths The Wordsworths livedlived at Grasmere, the at Grasmere, the Coleridges ten miles away at Greta Hall in Coleridges ten miles away at Greta Hall in KeswickKeswickWordsworth and Coleridge passed these next Wordsworth and Coleridge passed these next years visiting one another, and writing poetryyears visiting one another, and writing poetryThe The Lyrical BalladsLyrical Ballads had broken new poetic groundhad broken new poetic groundromantic poetry was Wordsworthromantic poetry was Wordsworth’’s answer to the s answer to the industrial revolutionindustrial revolutionhe campaigned to keep the railways from he campaigned to keep the railways from destroying the country he knew and loveddestroying the country he knew and loved

The Lake The Lake PoetsPoetsSoutheys came up to visit (Edith Southey Southeys came up to visit (Edith Southey and Sara Coleridge were sisters), and and Sara Coleridge were sisters), and shared Greta Hall Southey would live here shared Greta Hall Southey would live here for more than 40 years.for more than 40 years.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloudI wandered lonely as a cloudThat floats on high oThat floats on high o’’er vales and hills,er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,When all at once I saw a crowd,A host, of golden daffodils;A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,Beside the lake, beneath the trees,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shineContinuous as the stars that shineAnd twinkle on the milky way,And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in neverThey stretched in never--ending lineending lineAlong the margin of a bay:Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but theyThe waves beside them danced; but theyOutOut--did the sparkling waves in glee:did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,A poet could not but be gay,In such a jocund company:In such a jocund company:

I gazed I gazed –– and gazed and gazed –– but thoughtbut thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lieFor oft, when on my couch I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eyeThey flash upon that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude;Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.And dances with the daffodils.