Wordsworth White Wednesday

I used to go to a lot of flea markets and shop for antiques.  I got married, moved away, had children, and quit doing it.  Why?  Oh, there are reasons; no good flea markets within 100 miles, three boys in tow, etc.  But, I never got rid of my treasures.  And, soon I hope to put some antique shopping back in my schedule.  Blogging has gotten me back in touch with the person I was before all the obligations of family came along.  But, anyway here is one of my treasures.  I love old books.  

This is a copy of Wordsworth for the Young c. 1891.  It is a textbook made for school children to study Wordsworth's poetry.  William Wordsworth was a major English poet who helped launch the Romantic Era during the second half of the 18th century.  The Romantic Movement validated strong emotion as an authentic source of the aesthetic experience, placing a new emphasis on emotions such as horror and awe.  

One of the poems in the book that was so striking to me is We Are Seven.   This is a very strong and powerful poem in which Wordsworth is the narrator who enters into a conversation with a little child in a churchyard.  He asks the child how many siblings she has and she states "we are seven."  She continues on to describe where all of her brothers and sisters are and she states two lay in the churchyard (dead and buried).  So, the narrator states that she and her siblings "are five" and the little child repeatedly says no "we are seven."  This is such striking subject matter for children's poetry, but a noted poem for Wordsworth and a perfect example of romanticism. 

I love old books with this type of illustrations.  Most of the rest of the poetry is not as sad as We Are Seven.

Such a time capsule of a different era and so interesting to thumb through. 
I will join Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday.
Please go over and enjoy all the talent exhibited on White Wednesday.