The iciest rainfalls sweeping down from the heavens

December 10, 2012 11:38 AM

I'm trying to find a poem that contains the line "the iciest rainfalls sweeping down from the heavens."

I'm asking for a friend who thinks he probably read it within the last fifteen years, possibly in the New Yorker (I checked their archives and didn't find anything). It could be by a poet similar to Eamon Grennan or Galway Kinnell. The line may not be exact. I have also checked Google Books, JSTOR and Project MUSE for various permutations of the line; no luck. Does it sound familiar to anyone?

posted by initapplette to Writing & Language (5 answers total)

It sounds like it might refer to Boreas to me. Sorry, that's as good as I've got.
posted by MuffinMan at 12:07 PM on December 10, 2012

Is it Birches by Robert Frost?

Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away
You'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.
posted by coevals at 12:14 PM on December 10, 2012

Best answer: The phrase "iciest rainfall" and the word 'sweeping' appear on page 58 of Of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, poems by George Bradley. Can a librarian mefite check the stacks?
posted by zepheria at 12:30 PM on December 10, 2012

Best answer: Following up on zepheria's comment, Google books shows the full line is

Missed the iciest rainfall sweeping from the clouds,

. Pretty good fit if you ask me.
posted by themanwho at 1:23 PM on December 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: He is pretty sure this is it; I'm tracking down the book now. Thank you so much!
posted by initapplette at 8:43 AM on December 11, 2012