Explain the concept of poetic process as given by wordsworth in preface to Lyrical Ballands.

Wordsworth's concept sets forth his belief that poetry must be written with the intent that the reader understand, real language should predominate, which would allow the reader to understand the words in the kind of language genuinely used to speak. He also says that poetry should evoke emotion... past emotions, as well as present. Lastly, Wordsworth cites the main purpose of poetry as a provider of pleasure through rhythm and expression. 

Wordsworth defines poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’’ and its origin is in “emotion recollected in tranquility.’’ At the first glance, the two contentions may seem contradictory. Because, spontaneity is a forward process while recollection is a backward process. Therefore, how the spontaneous poetry is originated from recollected emotion is a question.There are four stages in the process of poetic creation. These are observation, recollection, contemplation and imaginative excitement.At the first stage, the poet observes some object, situation or phenomena of nature. However, the poetic expression does not take place at that very moment. Rather the observations are stored in the poet’s heart.Next, in moments of tranquility, the poet recollects those emotions excited by the objects, situations or phenomena.Then, he contemplates on these emotions.Consequently, after contemplation, there comes the gradual revival of the“emotion kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation.” Thus the poet is once again in a similar emotional excitement to what he experienced when he first saw the object. Wordsworth says that “in this mood successful composition generally begins.”Thus at the moment of creation, the tranquility is replaced by spontaneous emotional excitement of powerful feelings.