“It must be so. The debt will swallow all. We have no friend but God. Go, and be wise.” Then, from the wall, he took a shepherd’s staff, The staff which his own father had possessed, And gave it to his son. “Take this,” he said, “And keep it for my sake. When you are gone, I shall have nothing left to love but this.”
Did you find the full text you were looking for? For a line-by-line critical edition, be sure to check your local library’s copy of "Lyrical Ballads" (1800).
When searching for you are likely a student, a poetry enthusiast, or a researcher seeking to understand one of the most heart-wrenching narratives in English Romantic literature. Written in 1800 and published in the landmark Lyrical Ballads (Volume II), "Michael" is often overshadowed by Wordsworth’s more famous "Tintern Abbey" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." However, many critics argue that "Michael" is the poet’s greatest achievement in blank verse—a quiet, devastating tale of a shepherd’s resilience and quiet tragedy.
“It must be so. The debt will swallow all. We have no friend but God. Go, and be wise.” Then, from the wall, he took a shepherd’s staff, The staff which his own father had possessed, And gave it to his son. “Take this,” he said, “And keep it for my sake. When you are gone, I shall have nothing left to love but this.”
Did you find the full text you were looking for? For a line-by-line critical edition, be sure to check your local library’s copy of "Lyrical Ballads" (1800). william wordsworth michael full text
When searching for you are likely a student, a poetry enthusiast, or a researcher seeking to understand one of the most heart-wrenching narratives in English Romantic literature. Written in 1800 and published in the landmark Lyrical Ballads (Volume II), "Michael" is often overshadowed by Wordsworth’s more famous "Tintern Abbey" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." However, many critics argue that "Michael" is the poet’s greatest achievement in blank verse—a quiet, devastating tale of a shepherd’s resilience and quiet tragedy. “It must be so