Gerard Manley Hopkins - Brothers
How lovely the elder brother’s <br />Life all laced in the other’s, <br />Lóve-laced!—what once I well <br />Witnessed; so fortune fell. <br />When Shrovetide, two years gone, <br />Our boys’ plays brought on <br />Part was picked for John, <br />Young Jóhn: then fear, then joy <br />Ran revel in the elder boy. <br />Their night was come now; all <br />Our company thronged the hall; <br />Henry, by the wall, <br />Beckoned me beside him: <br />I came where called, and eyed him <br />By meanwhiles; making my play <br />Turn most on tender byplay. <br />For, wrung all on love’s rack, <br />My lad, and lost in Jack, <br />Smiled, blushed, and bit his lip; <br />Or drove, with a diver’s dip, <br />Clutched hands down through clasped knees— <br />Truth’s tokens tricks like these, <br />Old telltales, with what stress <br />He hung on the imp’s success. <br />Now the other was bráss-bóld: <br />Hé had no work to hold <br />His heart up at the strain; <br />Nay, roguish ran the vein. <br />Two tedious acts were past; <br />Jack’s call and cue at last; <br />When Henry, heart-forsook, <br />Dropped eyes and dared not look. <br />Eh, how áll rúng! <br />Young dog, he did give tongue! <br />But Harry—in his hands he has flung <br />His tear-tricked cheeks of flame <br />For fond love and for shame. <br />Ah Nature, framed in fault, <br />There ’s comfort then, there ’s salt; <br />Nature, bad, base, and blind, <br />Dearly thou canst be kind; <br />There dearly thén, deárly, <br />I’ll cry thou canst be kind.<br /><br />Gerard Manley Hopkins<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/brothers/
