I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

The poet describes himself as “lonely as a cloud,” floating aimlessly over valleys and hills. This suggests that he was lost in thought, feeling isolated.Suddenly, he sees a large group of golden daffodils, growing near a lake, under the trees.The daffodils are not just standing still—they are “fluttering and dancing in the breeze,” giving them a lively, cheerful quality.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The poet compares the daffodils to stars in the Milky Way, emphasizing their vast number and brightness.The flowers appear to stretch endlessly along the shoreline, forming a natural, living constellation.The phrase “ten thousand saw I at a glance” suggests their overwhelming beauty.The daffodils seem joyful, as they “toss their heads in sprightly dance”, personifying them as if they are happy beings.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

The lake’s waves also seem to dance, but the daffodils are even more joyful.The sight is so beautiful that it fills the poet with happiness (“A poet could not but be gay”).At that moment, he simply enjoys the scene, unaware of how much happiness and inspiration it will bring him later.

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Later, when the poet is alone and deep in thought, the memory of the daffodils comes back to him.This memory “flashes upon that inward eye,” meaning he can vividly recall the scene in his mind.The phrase “the bliss of solitude” suggests that even when alone, nature provides comfort and happiness.His heart “dances with the daffodils,” showing that this moment of joy stays with him forever.