The first time I encountered "The Windhover" was when I heard the actor Richard Thomas (as John-Boy on "The Waltons") read it out loud. He gave a "sensitive poet" reading, though not too overdone. He read it to his (i.e. John-Boy's) mother -- I seem to recall that they were outdoors, sitting under a tree.
When he finished reading it, his mother commented that the poem was just lovely, then asked, "What's it mean?"
Odd, the world fictional T.V. characters live in.
I haven't read much Hopkins, though when I occasionally get an urge to read English poems from before the 20th century, his poem "The Windhover" is one of the poems I often seek out.
Nin, some views of the windhover in flight.
ReplyDeleteThose birds are a piece of work. Big, extremely fast, and... they don't kid around.
(GMH mixing them up with God like that always made me feel... a little funny.)
Yes, it is a little funny.
ReplyDeleteBut seeing them fly . . . seeing birds is somehow so uplifting.
I once watched a young hawk trying to catch a squirrel. It failed, over and over again, swooping down -- as the squirrel dodged easily.
The first time I encountered "The Windhover" was when I heard the actor Richard Thomas (as John-Boy on "The Waltons") read it out loud. He gave a "sensitive poet" reading, though not too overdone. He read it to his (i.e. John-Boy's) mother -- I seem to recall that they were outdoors, sitting under a tree.
ReplyDeleteWhen he finished reading it, his mother commented that the poem was just lovely, then asked, "What's it mean?"
Odd, the world fictional T.V. characters live in.
I haven't read much Hopkins, though when I occasionally get an urge to read English poems from before the 20th century, his poem "The Windhover" is one of the poems I often seek out.
Good blog. I have a real soft spot for this Manley Hopkins poem http://caroleschatter.blogspot.co.nz/2011/12/great-poem-by-manley-hopkins.html
ReplyDelete