Text of the Poem

I travelled among unknown men, 
        In lands beyond the sea;
Nor, England! did I know till then
        What love I bore to thee.

'Tis past, that melancholy dream!
        Nor will I quit thy shore
A second time; for still I seem
        To love thee more and more.

Among thy mountains did I feel
      The joy of my desire;
And she I cherished turned her wheel
      Beside an English fire.

Thy mornings showed, thy nights concealed,
      The bowers where Lucy played;
And thine too is the last green field
      That Lucy's eyes surveyed.

Footnotes

  1. The line "And she I cherished turned her wheel" personifies an abstract concept (the speaker's cherished one) by attributing human action to it.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  2. The speaker acknowledges that the journey was like a melancholic dream, but he expresses a firm decision not to leave England again, as his love for the country continues to grow.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  3. "I Traveled Among Unknown Men" is part of Wordsworth's "Lucy poems," a series of poems that explore the themes of love, loss, and the impact of nature on the human experience. Lucy is a recurring figure in these poems, and while her identity is not definitively known, she is often associated with nature and a sense of innocence.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  4. The poem can be seen as part of Wordsworth's broader exploration of the relationship between nature, memory, and emotion. The speaker's journey among unknown men and the subsequent realization of the depth of love for England underscore the profound impact of place and memory on an individual's sense of identity and emotional connection.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor