Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Windhover -- Hopkins




To Christ our Lord 

I caught this morning morning’s minion, king-
dom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-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 in 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 lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier! 

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


Image: A Young Hare by Durer 

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