Fair Warning

Over the next few days, I'm taking a break from live blogging. But I will continue to post some pieces every couple days so that those of you who are addicted to this blog (poor souls) will have something to read. Enjoy!

For today, I want to leave you with a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins. I have always loved this poem since I first met it in college (thank you, Dr. Bovard!) -- I love the use of language and the brilliant comparison of a falcon to Christ.

The Windhover

To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion, king-
dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird -- the achieve of; the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermillion.