It was a hard thing to undo this knot

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It was a hard thing to undo this knot (1864)
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Written in August 1864

1553173It was a hard thing to undo this knot1864Gerard Manley Hopkins

It was a hard thing to undo this knot.
The rainbow shines, but only in the thought
Of him that looks. Yet not in that alone,
For who makes rainbows by invention?
And many standing round a waterfall
See one bow each, yet not the same to all,
But each a hand's breadth further than the next.
The sun on falling waters writes the text
Which yet is in the eye or in the thought.
It was a hard thing to undo this knot.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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