Thursday, June 16, 2011

poetic



Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! as 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 know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sorrow’s springs are the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It is the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.



While the mind is on literature, I thought I'd mention some Gerard Manley Hopkins, whom I think is safe to say, is my favorite poet. Not so much for content - Spring and Fall's mortality subject matter is fine but not the thing that makes it so intriguing. In fact, I don't even know what most of my favorite Hopkins poems are supposed to mean. But how can you not enjoy the lines Leaves, like the things of man, you / With your fresh thoughts care for, can you? 


Hopkins rolls off the tongue in such a beautiful way. It's so poetic without ever being sing-song. If you research more of his work you'll see how compelling it is. He repeats words in the same line, he alliterates everything, it's full of sound. It mostly just sounds lovely. 


If I recommend you read any they would be Pied Beauty, for it's a classic, and Binsey Poplars because it sounds especially nice. Almost a tongue-twister but not so frustrating. 


that's enough literature for me for now!
maybe I'll post about fashion again.
XO ROSIE

1 comment:

Hazel said...

I LOVE Hopkins.He was one of the prescribed poets on my English course,but having to study him didn't put me off enjoying him.
You're right,his poetry is absolutely lovely. :)
x