Poetry of G. M. Hopkins - 3 - Michael Redgrave et alia

No worst, there is none. Pitched past pitch of grief,
More pangs will, schooled at forepangs, wilder wring.
Comforter, where, where is your comforting?
Mary, mother of us, where is your relief?
My cries heave, herds-long; huddle in a main, a chief-
woe, world-sorrow; on an age-old anvil wince and sing —
Then lull, then leave off. Fury had shrieked 'No ling-
ering! Let me be fell: force I must be brief'.
O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall
Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap
May who ne'er hung there. Nor does long our small
Durance deal with that steep or deep. Here! creep,
Wretch, under a comfort serves in a whirlwind: all
Life death does end and each day dies with sleep.”



Hopkins seemingly odd English (which he termed 'Sprung Verse') is the nineteenth century version of the equally odd English of seventeenth century metaphysical poetry. Both have their origin in the intense spiritual wrestling between word and meaning.

This is the (rare) late sixties Argo LP with Michael Redgrave, Barbara Jefford, Richard Pasco and George Rylands. Again, copybook readings and warmly recommended. Kindly seed.

(Kat poetry downloaders ought to be advised of the torrent "John Donne - 4 - Argo" which is missing from the site, having been removed by the Administration on some point of legal prudence after a complaint ( to keep up the pretence of legal good behaviour I assume)

Happily, if so inclined, you can download it from every other torrent site on the net. (try tpb or demonoid)

But what is really curious is that no one is currently trying to commercially exploit this 'literary property'. It used to be owned by the British Council, Oxford University and Argo Records but is now owned by Universal 'the largest music corporation in the world'

I blame the system, not the unhappy dead souls trolling the internet to repress poetry (and Jack Donne in particular.)