William Cowper
William Cowper
William Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth26 November 1731
pleasure poetic poets
There is a pleasure in poetic painsWhich only poets know.
celestial fire pregnant
. . . words, pregnant with celestial fire.
creator worships yes
A self-made man? Yes - and worships his creator
smith
And the first smith was the first murderer's son.
hope tomorrow passed-away
The darkest day, if you live till tomorrow, will have passed away.
cool farewell sound whispering
The poplars are felled, farewell to the shade,/ And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade!
lies lies-and-lying silent
When this poor, lisping, stammering tongue/ Lies silent in the grave.