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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MOONRISE by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

Poet Analysis

First Line: I AWOKE IN THE MIDSUMMER NOT TO CALL NIGHT
Last Line: PARTED ME LEAF AND LEAF, DIVIDED ME, ' EYELID AND EYELID OF SLUMBER.
Subject(s): MOON;
I AWOKE in the Midsummer not to call night, in the white and the
walk of the morning:
The moon, dwindled and thinned to the fringe ' of a
finger-nail held to the candle,
Or paring of paradisaïcal fruit, ' lovely in waning but lustreless,
Stepped from the stool, drew back from the barrow, ' of
dark Maenefa the mountain;
A cusp still clasped him, a fluke yet fanged him, '
entangled him, not quit utterly.
This was the prized, the desirable sight, ' unsought,
presented so easily,
Parted me leaf and leaf, divided me, ' eyelid and eyelid of slumber.



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