Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ

As we arrive at the end of the work-week (for some), let our thoughts veer towards the small things in life that bring us joy.

Today we note the birth date of Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (July 28, 1844 – June 8, 1889), English poet and Jesuit priest, whose posthumous fame established him among the leading Victorian poets.

His manipulation of prosody – particularly his concept of sprung rhythm and use of imagery – established him as an innovative writer of verse. Two of his major themes were nature and religion.
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Pied Beauty

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, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:

Praise him.

--Gerard Manley Hopkins