The Windhover

To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion kingdom
I of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon,
I cain his riding
I Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and
I castriding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling
I wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on a swing,
I As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend:
I cathe hurl and gliding
I Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird, - the achieve of, the mastery of
I the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride,
I plume here
I Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a
I cabillion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my
I chevalier!

I No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down
I casillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
I Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold vermillion

Gerard Manley Hopkins