Daffodil

I always say University of Notre Dame has a wonderful gardening team.

They set up flower arrangement in time, and the head gardener must have some certain knowledge of art, literature related to flower, trees, and woods.

Like today, I walked by the lake and spot this sight, which is exactly what William Wordsworth described in his poem.

How did William Wordsworth’s Daffodil look like? —- “A host of golden daffodils dance in the breeze beside the lake, beneath the tree…”

A host of golden daffodils. This photo was taken on March 30, 2024 by Saint Mary’s Lake in Notre Dame.

“Daffodils in the breeze beside the lake beneath the tree”. This photo was taken on March 30, 2024 by Saint Mary’s Lake in Notre Dame.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud 

By William Wordsworth

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 but be 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.