Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems In Musical Adaptations
 
Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems In Musical Adaptations
   

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Harry Ploughman

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed around, breathed around; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank —
Head and foot, and shoulder and shank —

By a grey eye's heed steered well, one crew, fall to;
Stand at stress. Each limb's barrowy brawn, his thew
That onewhere curded, onewhere sucked or sank —
Soared or sank —

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed around, breathed around; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank —
Head and foot, and shoulder and shank —

He leans to it, Harry bends, look. Back, elbow, and liquid waist
In him, all quail to the wallowing o' the plough: 's cheek crimsons; curls
Wag or crossbridle, in a wind lifted, windlaced —
See his wind- lilylocks -laced;

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed around, breathed around; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank —
Head and foot, and shoulder and shank —

Churlsgrace, too, child of Amansstrength, how it hangs or hurls
Them — broad in bluff hide his frowning feet lashed! raced
With, along them, cragiron under and cold furls —
With-a-fountain's shining-shot furls.

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed around, breathed around; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank —
Head and foot, and shoulder and shank.

 
© Sean O'Leary 2005-2020
 
O R I G I N A L    P O E M
 

Harry Ploughman

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed round; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank —
Head and foot, shoulder and shank —
By a grey eye’s heed steered well, one crew, fall to;
Stand at stress. Each limb’s barrowy brawn, his thew
That onewhere curded, onewhere sucked or sank —
Soared or sank —,
Though as a beechbole firm, finds his, as at a roll-call, rank
And features, in flesh, what deed he each must do —
His sinew-service where do.
He leans to it, Harry bends, look. Back, elbow, and liquid waist
In him, all quail to the wallowing o’ the plough: ’s cheek crimsons; curls
Wag or crossbridle, in a wind lifted, windlaced —
See his wind- lilylocks -laced;
Churlsgrace, too, child of Amansstrength, how it hangs or hurls
Them — broad in bluff hide his frowning feet lashed! raced
With, along them, cragiron under and cold furls —
With-a-fountain’s shining-shot furls.

 
Gerard Manley Hopkins