Example 4 – I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud (the first line is also the title of the poem).

Think of a lonely cloud wandering over a hill.

So, now you have the title and the beginning of the poem, you need to learn each line as follows:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

(Press within the boxes below to reveal the mnemonic image, then select 'back to poem' to return to the list.)

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills

The hill said "Boo!" all at once

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

Daffodils were beside the lake

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

The breeze was continuous

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,

The Mily Way candy bar was stretched

They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:

The bay was covered in 10,000 daffodils

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

She could dance on the waves, she was so light-footed

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee.

Child full of glee as the poet reads

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

The company managing director just wanted to gaze out of his new office

I gazed – and gazed – but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

She brought another bouquet of flowers – was this too often?

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

She set the mood in the bedroom with flashing lights

They flash upon that inward eye
which is the bliss of solitude;

Solitude was the only thing the heart sought

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

Link 1

Link HILLS to WHEN ALL AT ONCE

link hills to when all at once

The hill (hills) said “Boo!” all at once.

Link 2

Link DAFFODILS to BESIDE THE LAKE.

link daffodils beside the lake

The daffodils were beside the lake.

Link 3

Link BREEZE to CONTINUOUS

link breeze with continuous

The breeze was unceasing, and she flew her kite continuously for hours.

Link 4

Link MILKY WAY to THEY STRETCHED

link milky way with they stretched

As they fought over the Milky Way bar, they stretched it right out.

Link 5

Link BAY to TEN THOUSAND

link bay with ten thousand

The bay was covered in 10,000 daffodils.

Link 6

Link DANCE to THE WAVES

link dance and with waves

She could dance on the waves, she was so light-footed.

Link 7

Link GLEE to A POET

link Glee and a poet

The child was full of glee as a poet read from her new book.

Link 8

Link COMPANY to GAZED

link company and glazed

The company director just wanted to gaze out of his new office.

Link 9

Link BOUGHT to OFT

link brought and oft

She brought yet another bouquet of flowers: was this too often?

Link 10

Link MOOD to THEY FLASH

link mood to they flashed

She set the mood in the bedroom with flashing lights.

Link 11

Link SOLITUDE to MY HEART

link solitude to my heart

Solitude on a deserted beach was what my heart sought.