Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Peace Comes With Work to Do

Peace

When will you ever, Peace, wild wooddove, shy wings shut, 
Your round me roaming end, and under be my boughs? 
When, when, Peace, will you, Peace? I'll not play hypocrite 
To own my heart: I yield you do come sometimes; but 
That piecemeal peace is poor peace. What pure peace allows 
Alarms of wars, the daunting wars, the death of it?

O surely, reaving Peace, my Lord should leave in lieu 
Some good! And so he does leave Patience exquisite, 
That plumes to Peace thereafter. And when Peace here does house 
He comes with work to do, he does not come to coo, 
       He comes to brood and sit.

~Gerard Manley Hopkins