Binsey Poplars
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
felled 1879
My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled,
My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled,
My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled,
the same line of text, repeated three times in red, blue, and green font. the fonts are in increasing stages of pixelation.
Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun,
Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun,
Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun,
All felled, felled, are all felled;
All felled, felled, are all felled;
All felled, felled, are all felled;
Of a fresh and following folded rank
Of a fresh and following folded rank
Of a fresh and following folded rank
Not spared, not one
Not spared, not one
Not spared, not one
That dandled a sandalled
That dandled a sandalled
That dandled a sandalled
Shadow that swam or sank
Shadow that swam or sank
Shadow that swam or sank
On meadow & river & wind-wandering
On meadow & river & wind-wandering
On meadow & river & wind-wandering
weed-winding bank.
weed-winding bank.
weed-winding bank.
O if we but knew what we do
O if we but knew what we do
O if we but knew what we do
When we delve or hew —
When we delve or hew —
When we delve or hew —
Hack and rack the growing green!
Hack and rack the growing green!
Hack and rack the growing green!
Since country is so tender
Since country is so tender
Since country is so tender
To touch, her being só slender,
To touch, her being só slender,
To touch, her being só slender,
That, like this sleek and seeing ball
That, like this sleek and seeing ball
That, like this sleek and seeing ball
But a prick will make no eye at all,
But a prick will make no eye at all,
But a prick will make no eye at all,
Where we, even where we mean
Where we, even where we mean
Where we, even where we mean
To mend her we end her,
To mend her we end her,
To mend her we end her,
When we hew or delve:
When we hew or delve:
When we hew or delve:
After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.
After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.
After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.
Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Strokes of havoc unselve
Strokes of havoc unselve
Strokes of havoc unselve
The sweet especial scene,
The sweet especial scene,
The sweet especial scene,
Rural scene, a rural scene,
Rural scene, a rural scene,
Rural scene, a rural scene,
Sweet especial rural scene.
Sweet especial rural scene.
Sweet especial rural scene.
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