I never studied the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, although a friend did and he was forever quoting him, so I have a few lines in my head but little more! “It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil. Crushed…” “Glory be to God for dappled things…”, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God…” and “I caught this morning morning’s minion…”
Hopkins always seemed a tortured soul to me, and I have never engaged with him as a character, but as a poet, he is sublime… note to self… read more Hopkins!
Spring Nothing is so beautiful as spring— When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling. What is all this juice and all this joy? A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden.— Have, get, before it cloy, Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning, Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy, Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
Lois Elsden 