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Today, on May 16th, 2012, the site contains 196 poets, 8,692 poems and 31,543 comments.
Robert Browning - Home Thoughts, From Abroad

Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge— 
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

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Added: on April 22nd, 2005 at 9:21 AM | Viewed: 6048 times | Comments (5)

Home Thoughts, From Abroad - Comments and Information

Poet: Robert Browning
Poem: Home Thoughts, From Abroad

Comment 5 of 5, added on August 26th, 2011 at 2:09 AM.
English Lit.

A fine example of a nostalgic poem by Browning.The flow of thoughts and rhythm are like morning breeze that blows in Spring.Browning paints a vivid picture from his imagination of spring in England.I think it inspires every reader who is homesick.

Yasmeen Khan from Pakistan
Comment 4 of 5, added on January 21st, 2007 at 6:21 PM.

My 98 year old mother quoted this poem to me last Dec 27 2007; she delivered babies by bicycle in Birmingham in the late 30's before returning to Vancouver Canada before WWII.

Susan Saxton D'Aoust from United States
Comment 3 of 5, added on April 22nd, 2005 at 9:21 AM.

I agree with both Lauren and Judy.
Browning lived in Italy, i think, for most of his married life. Although he loved England he loved Italy, especially renaissence italy, more and lived there with Barrett-Browning until she died.
It is possible that this poem is a reflection on his own thoughts about england when he lived abroad.
He is expressing himself through a character, like in the Lost leader.

Charlee

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