Blog Post #1: Lucy Gray

“ Lucy Gray” by William Wordsworth relates to the same ideals he conveys in “ Preface to Lyrical Ballad.” For instance, the poem has a simple and easy vocabulary that constantly repeats in order to explain the folktale of Lucy Gray.  It also presents the poet’s feelings towards Lucy’s story in a straight forward manner. He starts the poem with the first stanza by saying “ Oft I heard of Lucy Gray, And when I chanc’d to see at break of day The Solitary child.” This suggests that he holds a connection to the tragic folktale. He knew of the child and holds strong thoughts and emotions towards her sad tale. Furthermore, the poem follows the rhyme scheme of ab ab. Which is an uncomplicated and easy rhythm to follow and comprehend. Another one of Wordsworth’s poetry principles he sets forth in “ Preface to Lyrical Ballad” that his poem “ Lucy Gray” conveys is that the poem emphasizes the depths of human emotion. In lines 41-45 it exposes the immense fear and pain Lucy’s parents went through from her disappearance. To add on, at first he compares Lucy Grey’s beauty to a plant that grows inline 7. He also ends the poem by explaining that Lucy died peacefully in the snow, singing to this day and skipping. Lucy’s young spirit lives happily within the cold snow. He conveys that she is at peace with nature although she is dead. William Words Worth most definitely follows his ideas he presented in “ Preface to Lyrical Ballad” in “ Lucy Gray. The poem holds simple ideas, emphasized human emotion, and wrote of nature and life.