AS kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: 5
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.
Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces; 10
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—
Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.
---
Best,
alb.
Friday, September 11, 2009
‘As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame’ - Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1918.
Labels:
Albert Tsui,
Gerard Manley Hopkins,
sec 4,
sprung rhythm,
Victorian
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Thank God for Hopkins! Few people have done as much with the sound of words as he has, and he's one of the difficult poets who truly repays careful reading. 'each hung bell's / Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name'-- that's great stuff.
ReplyDeleteNick