Song
Only the wanderer Knows England’s graces, Or can anew see clear Familiar faces. And who loves joy as he That dwells in shadows? Do not forget me quite, O Severn meadows.
Ivor Gurney
Only the wanderer Knows England’s graces, Or can anew see clear Familiar faces. And who loves joy as he That dwells in shadows? Do not forget me quite, O Severn meadows.
Ivor Gurney’s “Song” is a quiet, homesick lyric built on a paradox: only someone away from England can truly see its beauty. The wanderer, the outsider, notices graces that people who stay home might take for granted. Distance makes familiar faces and places feel precious and clear.
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