27 October 2009

goldengrove unleaving

Spring and fall: to a young child
Gerard Manley Hopkins
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 and 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.


(Autumn: Mary Cassatt)

3 comments:

Carrie K said...

I love GMH. Great poem choice too for these days.

skirmishofwit said...

I have just stumbled on your blog, and am thrilled to see my very favourite poem for Autumn. Love the Mary Cassatt painting too!

Inkslinger said...

Oooh! I love Hopkins!! Those sounds!