The Shepherd's Calendar

Two distinct versions—the original manuscript and the published text—of The Shepherd’s Calendar are presented side by side in this handbook to the poetic evocations of English rural life presented in the piece. The truths behind the writing and editing process are illustrated by charting the development of Clare’s poem, as similarities and differences between the two versions become readily apparent.

John Clare was a poet and storyteller. Tim Chilcott is the author of numerous articles on the work of John Clare and is the author of John Clare: The Living Year 1841 and "A Real World & Doubting Mind": A Critical Study of the Poetry of John Clare. He is a former dean of arts and humanities at the University of Chichester.