Tuesday, March 15, 2011

A Black Sonnet

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.

-- Gerard Manley Hopkins

May God show His mercy to the suffering people of Japan.

3 comments:

mrsdarwin said...

Amen.

Maureen said...

Most beautiful!

Melanie Bettinelli said...

I can't believe I've never read this one. Though I've heard or seen the lines: O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall
Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed

Beautiful. Just beautiful.