In honor of Earth Day, excerpts from –
RIBBLESDALE
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Earth, sweet Earth, sweet landscape, with leav`es throng
And louch`ed low grass, heaven that doest appeal
To, with no tongue to plead, no heart to feel;
. . .
And what is Earth’s eye, tongue, or heart else, where
Else, but in dear and dogged Man? – Ah, the heir
To his own self bent so bound, so tied to his turn,
To thriftless reave both our rich round world bare
and none reck of world after, this bids wear
Earth brows of such care, care and dear concern.