The Windhover

By Gerard Manley Hopkins

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