Hopkins: "Spring and Fall" (Andrew Peterson)

Season one of Rhyme & Reason is finished, but we wanted to share a few bonus episodes featuring some of Gerard Manley Hopkins’s most popular poems that weren’t covered in the main season. We’ve invited Andrew Peterson, songwriter, author, and founder of the Rabbit Room to read them. This is a reading of “Spring and Fall.”

Music from this episode was from EVOE and We Dream of Eden. Sound design and editing is by Nate Sheppard.

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Episode Transcript

S1 (00:00):
I'm Andy Patton and this is a bonus episode of
Rhyme and Reason from the Rabbit Room. Season one of
Rhyme and Reason is finished, but we thought we would
share a few extra episodes to tide you over while
we're working on season two. All season long, we've been
looking at the life and work of Gerard Manley Hopkins,

(00:22):
and true fans of Hopkins will have noticed that we
had to leave out a few of Hopkins most popular poems.
So we have invited Andrew Peterson, songwriter, author and founder
of The Rabbit Room, to circle back and share a
few Hopkins poems that didn't make it into the main season.
So here you go. This is Andrew Peterson reading Hopkins

(00:42):
poem Spring and Fall.

S2 (00:50):
Margaret, are you grieving over Golden Grove? Unleaving. Leaves like
the things of man. You, with your fresh thoughts. Care
for can you? Are. As the heart grows older, it
will come to such sites colder by and by. Nor
spare a sigh. Though worlds of wanwood lief me a lie.

(01:14):
And yet you will weep and know. Why? Now no matter, child,
the name Sorrow's springs are the same. Nor mouth had
know nor mind expressed. What heart heard of ghost guest.

(01:36):
It is the blight man was born. For it is
Margaret you mourn for.