November 23 – a late November poem from G M Hopkins<\/p>\n
Who knows what intuition led Hopkins to this metaphor \u2013 \u2013 a skylark\u2019s wild explosions of energy and what happens when all that free spirit gets caged \u2014 skylark caged, a human being caged . . . . \u201cday-laboring-out life\u2019s age\u201d?
\nThe cage does not define the lark, nor do daily burdens define the person. Our campus is approaching final exams; lots of hard work and lots of worn down students, faculty, and staff. This afternoon\u2019s low-in-the-sky sun, pale & delicate can anoint our fatigue.
\nIt helps when reading Hopkins, to give his word play a practice run until you get the cadences right and until you give his word choices a chance to startle your imagination and make you smile.
\nWelcome to Thanksgiving week,<\/p>\n
john st sj<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s Post: \u201cThe Caged Skylark\u201d<\/p>\n
As a dare-gale skylark scanted in a dull cage
\nMan\u2019s mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells\u2014
\nThat bird beyond the remembering his free fells;
\nThis in drudgery, day-labouring-out life\u2019s age.<\/p>\n
Though aloft on turf or perch or poor low stage,
\nBoth sing somet\u00edmes the sweetest, sweetest spells,
\nYet both droop deadly s\u00f3metimes in their cells
\nOr wring their barriers in bursts of fear or rage.<\/p>\n
Not that the sweet-fowl, song-fowl, needs no rest\u2014
\nWhy, hear him, hear him babble and drop down to his nest,
\nBut his own nest, wild nest, no prison.<\/p>\n
Man\u2019s spirit will be flesh-bound when found at best,
\nBut uncumbered: meadow-down is not distressed
\nFor a rainbow footing it nor he for his b\u00f3nes r\u00edsen.<\/p>\n
G. M. Hopkins, sj 1844-1889<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" November 23 – a late November poem from G M Hopkins Who knows what intuition led Hopkins to this metaphor \u2013 \u2013 a skylark\u2019s wild explosions of energy and what happens when all that free spirit gets caged \u2014 skylark … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/170\/2015\/04\/GMHopkins.jpg\")
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