Basil Bunting: from Briggflats

Brag, sweet tenor bull,
descant on Rawthey's madrigal,
each pebble its part
for the fells' late spring.
Dance tiptoe, bull,
black against may.
Ridiculous and lovely
chase hurdling shadows
morning into noon.
May on the bull's hide
and through the dale
furrows fill with may,
paving the slowworm's way.


The first verse of "Briggflats", published 1966. Rawthey is the bull's name. The whole poem is intensely musical, one of the loveliest in English from last century. In theory you should recite it aloud in a Northumberland accent, if you can do that.