597. The Poplar Field by William Cowper

597. The Poplar Field by William Cowper

Author: Classic Poetry Aloud November 15, 2013 Duration: 1:54
William Cowper read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------- The Poplar Field by William Cowper (1731 – 1800) The poplars are fell'd! farewell to the shade And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade; The winds play no longer and sing in the leaves, Nor Ouse on his bosom their image receives. Twelve years have elapsed since I last took a view Of my favourite field, and the bank where they grew; And now in the grass behold they are laid, And the tree is my seat that once lent me a shade! The blackbird has fled to another retreat Where the hazels afford him a screen from the heat, And the scene where his melody charm'd me before Resounds with his sweet-flowing ditty no more. My fugitive years are all hasting away, And I must ere long lie as lowly as they, With a turf on my breast and a stone at my head, Ere another such grove shall arise in its stead. The change both my heart and my fancy employs, I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we. Reading © Classic Poetry Aloud, 2008.

There’s a particular magic that happens when a great poem is spoken aloud, a texture and rhythm that can sometimes be missed on the page. Classic Poetry Aloud is built on that simple, powerful idea. Each episode is a quiet moment devoted to a single, timeless work, read clearly and without distraction. You’ll hear the familiar cadences of Shakespeare and Wordsworth alongside perhaps lesser-known voices from centuries past, all selected from a growing library that serves as a rich resource for aficionados and newcomers alike. This podcast strips away analysis and commentary, focusing purely on the spoken word. The intention is to make these works more accessible, allowing the listener to be swept up in the original language, the metre, and the emotion as intended by the poet. It’s an experience that often deepens appreciation, revealing new layers in a sonnet you thought you knew or introducing you to a stunning piece you’d never encountered. Tuning in to Classic Poetry Aloud is like having a private, ever-expanding anthology of the world’s finest verse, ready to be heard whenever you need a moment of reflection, beauty, or solace.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

Classic Poetry Aloud
Podcast Episodes
621: Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:39
Edgar Allan Poe read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ---------------------------------------------…
620. The Snow Storm by Ralph Waldo Emerson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06
Ralph Waldo Emerson read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. -----------------------------------------…
619. If by Rudyard Kipling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54
Rudyard Kipling read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ---------------------------------------------…
618. December by Dollie Radford [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07
Dollie Radford read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------- Decemb…
617. The Arrow and the Song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:53
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ----------------------------------…
616. Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:59
William Shakespeare read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. -----------------------------------------…
615. For Those Who Fail by Joaquin Miller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:57
Joaquin Miller read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ----------------------------------------------…
614. Alone by Edgar Allan Poe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47
Edgar Allan Poe read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ---------------------------------------------…
613. The Good-Morrow by John Donne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55
John Donne read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter: @classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------------- The…
612. Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:49
Emily Dickinson read by Classic Poetry Aloud www.classicpoetryaloud.com Twitter:@classicpoetry Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetryaloud Giving voice to the poetry of the past. ----------------------------------------------…