The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Thu 9/18/2008)

The Windhover

           To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion, king-
      dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dáwn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
      Of the rólling level úndernéath him steady áir, & stríding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
      As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl & gliding
      Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird, -- the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty & valour & act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
      Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, o my chevalier!
      No wónder of it: shéer plód makes plóugh down síllion
Shine, & blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
      Fall, gáll themsélves, & gásh góld-vermílion.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

*******************

:hi:

RL

How beautifully the words roll on the page...

And off the tongue...

What a treat!

Thank you...

:hi:

:hi:

RL

not an unnecessary word any where.

:hi:

RL

:hi:

:) :hi: