January 2, 2005

Epiphany at Hurcott


Van der Leun, Crater Lake, 1973

By Geoffrey Hill

Profoundly silent January shows up
clamant with colour, greening in fine rain,
luminous malachite of twig-thicket and bole
brightest at sundown.

On hedge-banks and small rubbed bluffs the red earth,
dampened to umber, tints the valley sides.
Holly cliffs glitter like cut anthracite.
The lake, reflective, floats, brimfull, its tawny sky.

The New Criterion

Posted by Vanderleun at January 2, 2005 10:30 PM
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