How many poems did John Clare write when he was in mental hospital?

It's difficult to say exactly how many poems John Clare wrote while he was in mental hospitals. Here's why:

* No complete record: There's no complete record of his work during this time.

* Loss of manuscripts: Many of Clare's manuscripts were lost or destroyed, including those he wrote in the asylum.

* Difficult access: It's challenging to access materials held by the institutions where he was confined.

* Definition of "poem": Some of Clare's work during his confinement may have been fragments or notes, which might not be considered full poems.

However, we do know that Clare continued to write poetry throughout his time in mental hospitals. He is known to have composed at least several poems.

Some examples of his poems from this period are:

* "The Shepherd's Calendar" - written in 1841 while he was in the Northampton General Lunatic Asylum.

* "The Village Minstrel" - written in 1838 while he was in the High Beech private asylum.

While the exact number of poems remains unknown, it's clear that John Clare continued his artistic pursuits even during his years of mental illness.