On John Clare

Since he lived in time many decades have gone
But in his love and Nature poetry his fame does live on
His love of Mary Joyce in his poems is living today
Though his love of her was unrequited in truth one can say

His wife's name was Patty the son of Parker Clare
He was a true poet and his type are rare
John Clare's name more famous than the Village of Helpston where he first saw light of day
He was one with words who surely did have a way

The man who in his poetry glorified Nature of the English countryside
Nowadays as a poet through his poems known Worldwide
For years an inmate of Northampton Asylum where in his seventieth year he died
That he was a great poet of him cannot be denied

Mental illness did rob him of a happy and better life
So sad for his children and for Patty his devoted wife
You read his poems once and you will read them again
His great poem 'I Am' as the poem of mental illness remain

In his lifetime for him never a street parade
Yet his bird and animals poems of true greatness were made
He grew to love Nature as a herd boy
And his poetry to humanity remains as a gift of joy.