Michaelmas Day

Hurrahing in Harvest

Summer ends now; now barbarous in beauty the stooks rise
Around; up above, what wind-walks! what lovely behaviour
Of silk-sack clouds! has wilder, wilful-wavier
Meal-drift moulded ever and melted across skies?

I walk, I lift up heart, eyes,
Down all that glory in the heavens to glean our Saviour;
And, eyes, heart, what looks, what lips yet gave you a
Rapturous love’s greeting of realer, of rounder replies?

And the azurous hung hills are his world-wielding shoulder
Majestic – as a stallion stalwart, very violet-sweet! -
These things, these things were here and but the beholder
Wanting; which two when they once meet,
The heart rears wings bold and bolder
And hurls for him, O half hurls earth for him off under his feet.

Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1877

Brave St. Michael is my guide
As free and fearles forth I ride
With courage of St. George of old
I dare to fight fierce dragons bold.

Eric Fairman

Inspiration for the Dragon made from conkers, and recipe for the harvest loaf from All Year Round: A Calendar of Celebrations

 

Happy Michaelmas Day!

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