by William Wordsworth

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;

Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

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I’ve missed a lot of mornings, especially under the influence of jet lag.

But those times we’ve ventured out, into an unfamiliar city before the crowds arrived, those are hard to forget.

The city wears more than one face. I’ve seen her most often, dressed and ready for the day.

I’ve seen her bustling and busy, crowded, with all her makeup in place. I’ve seen her hosting street performers and with fresh art lining the length of her sidewalks. I’ve seen her with lines longer than we wished to wait. I’ve heard strategies for best arrival times and needed a spreadsheet to keep them all straight.

I’ve also seen the city just after dawn, still rubbing her eyes and waiting for coffee to kick in. Silent and bare, but not for long.

Wordsworth describes the beauty of a silent morning in London, which leaves me longing to return and to wake earlier next time. Not only in London.

Every city has her own stories to tell, and I want to be there to listen.

Last spring we visited London and ventured out early to jog and climb steps. We weren’t prepared for the way the beautiful city shivered, and next she cried cold, wet tears. So we jumped through puddles, but I didn’t last long in the chilly rain.

I hope we’ll return one day.

I hope we’ll find a bare naked morning when London’s heart lies still and the whole city sparkles while the sun begins to saturate the sky.

Writing Prompt:

Write about the most beautiful place Earth has shown you.

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