“First Love” is a love poem by the English Romantic poet John Clare. Clare was born in 1793 in the small village of Helpstone. Before leaving school at the age of 12, he developed a love of poetry. His first book, Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery, was a runaway success when published in 1820. “First Love” was one of the poems included in this collection.
Clare’s later work never achieved the same popularity during his life, and, as he got older, his mental health also began to decline. In 1836, at the age of 43, he was admitted to an insane asylum, where he spent the rest of his life. Today, although less well-known than some of his contemporaries, Clare remains beloved by readers and scholars alike for his remarkable sensitivity, especially to the natural world.
As a child, Clare fell in love with Mary Joyce, one of his fellow students. The two eventually separated, and Clare went on to marry Patty Turner, but he continued to address love poems to Mary throughout his life. “First Love” is one such poem, describing the moment they met. At seeing her face, the speaker is struck dumb by his sudden love for her. The whole world becomes strange, and he realizes that she has stolen his heart forever.
