Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Lovely poetry

From Fr. Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ (1844-1889).

Were you forced to read his work in high school? I was, mostly because he looms so large in the Victorian era, which my teacher was very enthusiastic about. Not that it was exactly torture :)

PS I do NOT like this poem only because it addresses a little girl named Margaret! ;)


31. Spring and Fall
to a young child


MÁRGARÉT, áre you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves, líke the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Áh! 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 wíll 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.


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