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A review by mayajoelle
The Wild Knight and Other Poems by G.K. Chesterton
4.0
Eternities, G.K. Chesterton
I cannot count the pebbles in the brook.
Well hath He spoken: 'Swear not by thy head,
Thou knowest not the hairs,' though He, we read,
Writes that wild number in his own strange book.
I cannot count the sands or search the seas,
Death cometh, and I leave so much untrod.
Grant my immortal aureole, O my God,
And I will name the leaves upon the trees.
In heaven I shall stand on gold and glass,
Still brooding earth's arithmetic to spell;
Or see the fading of the fires of hell
Ere I have thanked my God for all the grass.
---
I read this online via Kindle because I didn't realize that it was free on Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12037/pg12037-images.html). I would recommend printing it off and reading it, but if you like to read online that works :)
As always, Chesterton's style and themes are distinct and recognizable, and I had a lot of fun with certain poems. Some favorite poems/quotes:
And lastly, a short mention of the titular poem, "The Wild Knight." It's a narrative poem followed by a dialogue/play, which ends with another section of narrative poetry, and it's well-written and thought-provoking. Much like after reading The Surprise, I feel very confused and I want to read it again. Redfeather was a great character.
PRIEST: And you—what is your right, and who are you,
To praise God?
REDFEATHER: A lost soul. In earth or heaven
Who has a better right?
I cannot count the pebbles in the brook.
Well hath He spoken: 'Swear not by thy head,
Thou knowest not the hairs,' though He, we read,
Writes that wild number in his own strange book.
I cannot count the sands or search the seas,
Death cometh, and I leave so much untrod.
Grant my immortal aureole, O my God,
And I will name the leaves upon the trees.
In heaven I shall stand on gold and glass,
Still brooding earth's arithmetic to spell;
Or see the fading of the fires of hell
Ere I have thanked my God for all the grass.
---
I read this online via Kindle because I didn't realize that it was free on Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12037/pg12037-images.html). I would recommend printing it off and reading it, but if you like to read online that works :)
As always, Chesterton's style and themes are distinct and recognizable, and I had a lot of fun with certain poems. Some favorite poems/quotes:
- + The World's Lover: And on my naked face the love / Which is the loneliness of God
- + The Happy Man
- + A Novelty
- + Ultimate
- + Thou Shalt Not Kill: I turned and laughed: for there was no one by— / The man that I had sought to slay was I.
- + The peace of a field of battle, where flowers are born of blood. / I only know one evil that makes the whole world good. (The Pessimist)
- + The Ballad of the Battle of Gibeon (a marvelous war poem in the style of White Horse, but Biblical!): Shout thou, people, a cry like thunder, / For the kings of the earth are broken asunder. And a terrible, beautiful end: The dead heads dropped from the swords that sever, / Because His mercy endureth for ever.
- + The Ballad of God-makers
And lastly, a short mention of the titular poem, "The Wild Knight." It's a narrative poem followed by a dialogue/play, which ends with another section of narrative poetry, and it's well-written and thought-provoking. Much like after reading The Surprise, I feel very confused and I want to read it again. Redfeather was a great character.
PRIEST: And you—what is your right, and who are you,
To praise God?
REDFEATHER: A lost soul. In earth or heaven
Who has a better right?