Poems

"Poems" by Robert Southey is a collection of lyrical verses written in the late 18th century. This anthology encapsulates a range of themes, including love, loss, liberty, and social justice, providing glimpses into Southey's thoughts as he journeys through various phases of his life and reflections on the world around him. The opening of the collection sets a reflective tone, presenting an introduction to the poet's artistic journey and intentions. Southey expresses a nostalgic admiration for the simplicity and emotional truth found in poetry while acknowledging his struggles with adapting to the conventions of the form, particularly with odes. The first poem serves as a sonnet that reflects on Southey's Pilgrim-like journey through life, characterized by both sorrow and the beauty found in poetic creation. He offers a bouquet woven from the "wild and simple flowers of Poesy" as a humble gift to a beloved, thereby establishing a personal connection that underscores the themes of love and longing in his work. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school, and Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death. Like the other Lake Poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Southey began as a radical but became steadily more conservative as he gained respect for Britain and its institutions. Other romantics such as Byron accused him of siding with the establishment for money and status. He is remembered especially for the poem "After Blenheim" and the original version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".