Tuesday, June 10, 2014

CHRIST THE FALCON!

POEM FOR TODAY - JUNE 9, 2012



THE WINDHOVER


To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning’s minion, king-
dom of daylight’s dauphin-dapple-drawn Falcon,
in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
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
and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind My heart is hiding
Stirred for a bird, - the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume here
Buckle! And the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: sheer plod makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blure-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves and gash gold-vermillion.

© Gerard Manley Hopkins

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