20 Duns Scotus's Oxford
TOWERY city and branchy between towers;
Cuckoo-echoing, bell-swarmèd, lark-charmèd, rook-
 racked, river-rounded;
The dapple-eared lily below thee; that country and
 town did
Once encounter in, here coped and poisèd powers;
Thou hast a base and brickish skirt there, sours
That neighbour-nature thy grey beauty is grounded
Best in; graceless growth, thou hast confounded
There is a clash between urban and rural, the powers almost at war. Hopkin’s similar love of nature to St. Francis inspired much of his poetry.