BODY? THIS WOULD ONLY GO AGAINST WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY CREATED.“THE WINDHOVER”, BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS IS A VERY DEEPLY SPIRITUAL POEM. THE POEM IS DESCRIBING THE FLIGHT OF A HAWK. THE FIRST EIGHT LINES OF THE POEM IS AN OBSERVATION OF THE BIRDS FLIGHT. THE HAWK IS IN A STEADY FLIGHT OF CIRCLING AGAINST THE DAWN SKY—“OF THE ROLLING LEVEL UNDERNEATH HIM STEADY AIR, AND STRIDING”(3). THE STEADY FLIGHT OF THE HAWK IS STRIKING, BUT THE SUDDEN BUCKLING DOWNWARD IS EVEN MORE EXCITING. THE BEAUTY OF THE HAWK AS IT BUCKLES AND DIVES DISPALYING IT’S BEAUTY OF FLIGHT---“BRUTE BEAUTY AND VALOUR AND ACT, OH AIR, PRIDE, PLUME, HERE BUCKLE! AND THE FIRE THAT BREAKS FROM THEE THEN, A BILLION TIMES TOLD LOVELIER, MORE DANGEROUS, O MY CHEVALIER!”(9-11). IN THE PROCEEDING LINES THE POEM SWITCHES FROM THE EIGHT LINES OF OBSERVATION TO THE NEXT SIX LINES OF COMMENTARY. THE LAST SIX LINES OF THE POEM IS A METAPHOR ABOUT LIFE. THE INCREASED BEAUTY OF THE AS IT DIVES IS COMPARED TO A PLOUGH AND BURNING WOOD---“NO WONDER OF IT: SHEER PLOD MAKES PLOUGH DOWN SILLION --- SHINE, AND BLUE-BLEAK EMBERS, AH MY DEAR, FALL, GALL THEMSELVES, AND GASH GOLD-VERMILION”. (12-14)...
