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Harry Ploughman
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

The Wreck of the Deutschland (1876), Poems (fourth edition, 1967) edited by W.H. Gardner and N.H. Mackenzie, Journals and Papers of G.M. Hopkins (2 volumes, 1959) edited by H. House and G. Storey.


Harry Ploughman
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

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 the cold furls -
With-a-fountain's shining-shot furls.


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