The Shepherd’s Brow, Fronting Forked Lightning, Owns poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
The shepherd’s brow, fronting forked lightning, owns The horror and the havoc and the glory Of it. Angels fall, they are towers, from heaven—a story Of just, majestical, and giant groans. But man—we, scaffold of score brittle bones; Who breathe, from groundlong babyhood to hoary Age gasp; whose breath is our memento mori— What […]
The Sea Took Pity poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
The sea took pity: it interposed with doom: ‘I have tall daughters dear that heed my hand: Let Winter wed one, sow them in her womb, And she shall child them on the New-world strand.’ . . . . . . . . *** Gerard Manley […]
The Sea And The Skylark poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
On ear and ear two noises too old to end Trench—right, the tide that ramps against the shore; With a flood or a fall, low lull-off or all roar, Frequenting there while moon shall wear and wend. Left hand, off land, I hear the lark ascend, His rash-fresh re-winded new-skeinèd score In crisps of […]
The May Magnificat poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
May is Mary’s month, and I Muse at that and wonder why: Her feasts follow reason, Dated due to season— Candlemas, Lady Day; But the Lady Month, May, Why fasten that upon her, With a feasting in her honour? Is it only its being brighter Than the most are must delight her? Is […]
The Loss Of The Eurydice poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Foundered March 24. 1878 1 The Eurydice—it concerned thee, O Lord: Three hundred souls, O alas! on board, Some asleep unawakened, all un- warned, eleven fathoms fallen 2 Where she foundered! One stroke Felled and furled them, the hearts of oak! And flockbells off the aerial Downs’ forefalls beat to […]
The Leaden Echo And The Golden Echo poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
(Maidens’ song from St. Winefred’s Well) THE LEADEN ECHO How to kéep—is there ány any, is there none such, nowhere known some, bow or brooch or braid or brace, láce, latch or catch or key to keep Back beauty, keep it, beauty, beauty, beauty, … from vanishing away? Ó is there no […]
The Lantern Out Of Doors poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Sometimes a lantern moves along the night, That interests our eyes. And who goes there? I think; where from and bound, I wonder, where, With, all down darkness wide, his wading light? Men go by me whom either beauty bright In mould or mind or what not else makes rare: They rain against our […]
The Handsome Heart poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
at a Gracious Answer ‘But tell me, child, your choice; what shall I buy You?’—’Father, what you buy me I like best.’ With the sweetest air that said, still plied and pressed, He swung to his first poised purport of reply. What the heart is! which, like carriers let fly— Doff darkness, […]
The Half-way House poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Love I was shewn upon the mountain-side And bid to catch Him ere the dropp of day. See, Love, I creep and Thou on wings dost ride: Love it is evening now and Thou away; Love, it grows darker here and Thou art above; Love, come down to me if Thy name be Love. […]
The Habit Of Perfection poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Elected Silence, sing to me And beat upon my whorlèd ear, Pipe me to pastures still and be The music that I care to hear. Shape nothing, lips; be lovely-dumb: It is the shut, the curfew sent From there where all surrenders come Which only makes you eloquent. Be shellèd, eyes, with […]
The Furl of Fresh-Leaved Dogrose Down poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
The furl of fresh-leaved dogrose down His cheeks the forth-and-flaunting sun Had swarthed about with lion-brown Before the Spring was done. His locks like all a ravel-rope’s-end, With hempen strands in spray— Fallow, foam-fallow, hanks—fall’n off their ranks, Swung down at a disarray. Or like a juicy and jostling shock Of bluebells […]
The Child Is Father To The Man poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
‘The child is father to the man.’ How can he be? The words are wild. Suck any sense from that who can: ‘The child is father to the man.’ No; what the poet did write ran, ‘The man is father to the child.’ ‘The child is father to the man!’ How can he be? […]
The Candle Indoors poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Some candle clear burns somewhere I come by. I muse at how its being puts blissful back With yellowy moisture mild night’s blear-all black, Or to-fro tender trambeams truckle at the eye. By that window what task what fingers ply, I plod wondering, a-wanting, just for lack Of answer the eagerer a-wanting Jessy or […]
The Caged Skylark poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
As a dare-gale skylark scanted in a dull cage Man’s mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells— That bird beyond the remembering his free fells; This in drudgery, day-labouring-out life’s age. Though aloft on turf or perch or poor low stage, Both sing sometímes the sweetest, sweetest spells, Yet both droop deadly sómetimes […]
The Bugler’s First Communion poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
A buglar boy from barrack (it is over the hill There)—boy bugler, born, he tells me, of Irish Mother to an English sire (he Shares their best gifts surely, fall how things will), This very very day came down to us after a boon he on My late being there begged of me, […]
The Blessed Virgin Compared To The Air We Breathe poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Wild air, world-mothering air, Nestling me everywhere, That each eyelash or hair Girdles; goes home betwixt The fleeciest, frailest-flixed Snowflake; that ‘s fairly mixed With, riddles, and is rife In every least thing’s life; This needful, never spent, And nursing element; My more than meat and drink, My meal at every wink; This air, […]
The Alchemist in the City poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
My window shews the travelling clouds, Leaves spent, new seasons, alter’d sky, The making and the melting crowds: The whole world passes; I stand by. They do not waste their meted hours, But men and masters plan and build: I see the crowning of their towers, And happy promises fulfill’d. And I; […]
That Nature Is A Heraclitean Fire And Of The Comfort Of The Resurrection poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Cloud-puffball, torn tufts, tossed pillows ‘ flaunt forth, then chevy on an air- built thoroughfare: heaven-roysterers, in gay-gangs ‘ they throng; they glitter in marches. Down roughcast, down dazzling whitewash, ‘ wherever an elm arches, Shivelights and shadowtackle in long ‘ lashes lace, lance, and pair. Delightfully the bright wind boisterous ‘ ropes, wrestles, […]
Summa poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
The best ideal is the true And other truth is none. All glory be ascrib?d to The holy Three in One. *** Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Strike, Churl poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Strike, churl; hurl, cheerless wind, then; heltering hail May’s beauty massacre and wisp?d wild clouds grow Out on the giant air; tell Summer No, Bid joy back, have at the harvest, keep Hope pale. *** Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins […]
St. Winefred’s Well poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
ACT I. SC. I Enter Teryth from riding, Winefred following. T. WHAT is it, Gwen, my girl? why do you hover and haunt me? W. You came by Caerwys, sir? T. I came by Caerwys. W. There Some messenger there might have met you from my uncle. T. Your uncle met […]
St. Alphonsus Rodriguez poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Laybrother of the Society of Jesus Honour is flashed off exploit, so we say; And those strokes once that gashed flesh or galled shield Should tongue that time now, trumpet now that field, And, on the fighter, forge his glorious day. On Christ they do and on the martyr may; But be the […]
Spring & Fall: To A Young Child poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Margaret, are you grieving Over Goldengrove unleaving? Leaves, like the things of man, you With your fresh thoughts care for, can you? Ah! as the heart grows older It will come to such sights colder By & by, nor spare a sigh Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie; And yet you wíll weep & […]
Spring poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Nothing is so beautiful as spring— When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush The descending blue; […]
Spelt From Sibyl’s Leaves poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Earnest, earthless, equal, attuneable, ‘ vaulty, voluminous, … stupendous Evening strains to be tíme’s vást, ‘ womb-of-all, home-of-all, hearse-of-all night. Her fond yellow hornlight wound to the west, ‘ her wild hollow hoarlight hung to the height Waste; her earliest stars, earl-stars, ‘ stárs principal, overbend us, Fíre-féaturing heaven. For earth ‘ her being […]
Ribblesdale poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Earth, sweet Earth, sweet landscape, with leavés throng And louchéd low grass, heaven that dost appeal To, with no tongue to plead, no heart to feel; That canst but only be, but dost that long— Thou canst but be, but that thou well dost; strong Thy plea with him who dealt, nay does now […]
Repeat That, Repeat poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Repeat that, repeat, Cuckoo, bird, and open ear wells, heart-springs, delightfully sweet, With a ballad, with a ballad, a rebound Off trundled timber and scoops of the hillside ground, hollow hollow hollow ground: The whole landscape flushes on a sudden at a sound. *** Gerard Manley […]
Pied Beauty poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Glory be to God for dappled things— For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings; Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough; And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim. All things counter, original, spare, strange; Whatever is fickle, […]
Penmaen Pool poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
For the Visitors’ Book at the Inn Who long for rest, who look for pleasure Away from counter, court, or school O where live well your lease of leisure But here at, here at Penmaen Pool? You’ll dare the Alp? you’ll dart the skiff?— Each sport has here its tackle and tool: Come, […]
Peace poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
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, […]
Patience, Hard Thing! The Hard Thing But To Pray poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Patience, hard thing! the hard thing but to pray, But bid for, Patience is! Patience who asks Wants war, wants wounds; weary his times, his tasks; To do without, take tosses, and obey. Rare patience roots in these, and, these away, Nowhere. Natural heart’s ivy, Patience masks Our ruins of wrecked past purpose. There […]
On the Portrait of Two Beautiful Young People poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
A Brother and Sister O I admire and sorrow! The heart’s eye grieves Discovering you, dark tramplers, tyrant years. A juice rides rich through bluebells, in vine leaves, And beauty’s dearest veriest vein is tears. Happy the father, mother of these! Too fast: Not that, but thus far, all with frailty, blest […]
No Worst, There Is None. Pitched Past Pitch Of Grief poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
No worst, there is none. Pitched past pitch of grief, More pangs will, schooled at forepangs, wilder wring. Comforter, where, where is your comforting? Mary, mother of us, where is your relief? My cries heave, herds-long; huddle in a main, a chief Woe, world-sorrow; on an age-old anvil wince and sing— Then lull, then […]
My prayers must meet a brazen heaven poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
My prayers must meet a brazen heaven And fail and scatter all away. Unclean and seeming unforgiven My prayers I scarcely call to pray. I cannot buoy my heart above; Above I cannot entrance win. I reckon precedents of love, But feel the long success of sin. My heaven is brass and iron […]
My Own Heart Let Me Have More Have Pity On; Let poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
My own heart let me have more have pity on; let Me live to my sad self hereafter kind, Charitable; not live this tormented mind With this tormented mind tormenting yet. I cast for comfort I can no more get By groping round my comfortless, than blind Eyes in their dark can day or […]
Morning Midday And Evening Sacrifice poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
The dappled die-away Cheek and wimpled lip, The gold-wisp, the airy-grey Eye, all in fellowship— This, all this beauty blooming, This, all this freshness fuming, Give God while worth consuming. Both thought and thew now bolder And told by Nature: Tower; Head, heart, hand, heel, and shoulder That beat and breathe in power— […]
Moonrise poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
I awoke in the Midsummer not to call night, in the white and the walk of the morning: The moon, dwindled and thinned to the fringe of a finger-nail held to the candle, Or paring of paradisaical fruit, lovely in waning but lustreless, Stepped from the stool, drew back from the barrow, of dark […]
Moonless darkness stands between poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
Moonless darkness stands between. Past, the Past, no more be seen! But the Bethlehem-star may lead me To the sight of Him Who freed me From the self that I have been. Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy; Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly; Now beginning, and alway: Now begin, on Christmas […]
May Magnificat poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
May is Mary’s month, and I Muse at that and wonder why: Her feasts follow reason, Dated due to season— Candlemas, Lady Day; But the Lady Month, May, Why fasten that upon her, With a feasting in her honour? Is it only its being brighter Than the most are must delight her? […]
Love Preparing to Fly poem – Gerard Manley Hopkins poems
He play’d his wings as tho’ for flight; They webb’d the sky with glassy light. His body sway’d upon tiptoes, Like a wind-perplexed rose; In eddies of the wind he went At last up the blue element. *** Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems by Gerard Manley […]