Friday, October 21, 2016

Poetry Friday: Gerard Manley Hopkins


Methinks it would not be autumn without a sip of the sublime nectar that is the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. 

You're welcome. 

Spring and Fall
Gerard Manley Hopkins

               to a young child

Márgarét, áre you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! ás the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you will weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sórrow’s spríngs áre the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.

(Public domain.) 
~~~~~

Tricia is hosting the round up today at The Miss Rumphius Effect. 

5 comments:

jama said...

Sigh. Love Hopkins' work! Thanks for this one.

Violet N. said...

Perfect! I will soon be grieving the unleaving of a golden tree outside our bedroom window that shines in now like near sun! I love the way he works words e.g. " Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie..." Thanks for this!

Bridget Magee said...

Hopkins is new to me - thank you for the introduction, Karen. "Sublime nectar" indeed. =)

Brenda at FriendlyFairyTales said...

He did seem to understand deeply, yet treasure the mysteries, too. I love, "And yet you will weep and know why."

Karen Edmisten said...

Happy to share this beauty with you, ladies! Thanks for stopping by.