
A cyclist sets out from the bustling streets of London, chasing the first true signs of spring as the city awakens under a bright, north‑west wind. The opening scenes glide along the Paddington Canal, where barges painted in vivid reds and greens glide past, and birds alight like blossoms on their decks. With the promise of Easter just ahead, the narrator’s observations turn the ordinary traffic and rooftops into a luminous tableau of light, cloud, and movement.
Leaving the urban rush, the journey heads toward the rolling Quantock Hills, weaving through villages such as Nether Stowey and Kilve. Along the way, moments of quiet wonder appear—a child’s laughter, a fleeting smile, the scent of fresh air—contrasting with the crowded streets and hinting at the countryside’s slower rhythm. The narrative captures the anticipation of a spring road trip, inviting listeners to feel the wind on their faces and the unfolding landscape before the hills come into view.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (364K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
Release date
2018-12-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1878–1917
Best known for poems that catch the English countryside in a clear, unsettled light, he came to verse late after building a career as a critic and prose writer. His friendship with Robert Frost helped spark the brief, remarkable burst of poetry that made his name, before his life was cut short in the First World War.
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