Comments on: From Love to God: On Hopkins’ "As kingfishers catch fire…"

By: used textbooks

used textbooks — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:42:40 +0000

I love his writing.

By: cigarettes

cigarettes — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:34:20 +0000

Not for this particular poem, but for all of G.M.’s work: I taught English at the high school and college levels for 33 years, and I am still ‘blown away’ by most of his stuff. He is magnificent. Only one poet comes close: Wallace Stevens.

By: kagiso matsoga

kagiso matsoga — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:07:24 +0000

people i just started a poetry course in my university, you guys are fans i suppose i will become one in time. no doubt Hopkins is a good writer, but hey the lenghths poets go to to express a point is intense

By: sunday school lessons

sunday school lessons — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:09:40 +0000

I see “the man” in the second stanza as our belief and faith in God. I believe this based on the words that Hopkins chooses when he states that:

“for Christ plays in ten thousand places, … To the Father through the features of men’s faces.”

By: Natasha

Natasha — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:52:03 +0000

The stone image is what really grabs me. It could be an allusion to the words of Christ in Luke 19. 40:

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (NIV)

By: Johnthebarman

Johnthebarman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:05:59 +0000

That was a helpful exposition.
Strange how the lovely meaning comes accross strongly in spite of or because of the strange grammar. It’s true about the reading. I first heard “Glory be to god for…” at school by our english teacher’s boyfriend who she’d brought in specialy. It started my interest in poetry. I already had an interest in the english teacher.

By: lilamae

lilamae — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:01:39 +0000

Hopkins is in my top 10 poets list. His work is such lovely wordage/soundage/meaning concentrated. Reading him out loud or hearing him read aloud is mandatory. Preferably with a Welsh or Irish accent ;>)

“Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.”

What we are is what we do and what we do is who we are. Hopkins writes from a Christian POV (since he was a priest). This particular poem is about how Christianity moves through the world using those who accept Christ as their faith. Christians have become the Word manifest, whether they speak or remain silent and show only by their actions their acceptance of Christ’s teachings.

“Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—
Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.”

Christ in the faithful, the “just”, is in God’s eyes the spirit of Christ (now this gets into a very Eastern mode of believing–that the same spirit can be shared by the many, i.e. Oversoul). I’m surprised that Hopkins’s poetry didn’t see him brought up before a Catholic “inquisition,” because they don’t seem to play to the Catholic book or rules all the time. Nonetheless, he was a brilliant poet. Perhaps he didn’t expose his work to the hierarchy of the Church.

By: johnthebarman

johnthebarman — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:58:14 +0000

Last 3 lines of first stanza still have me a bit baffled.

By: ashok

ashok — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:26:58 +0000

@ Kent – could also be a reference to the Apostles. The point is more or less the least of Creation reflects the Creator.

By: Kent

Kent — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:23:39 +0000

Anyone who reads Hopkins and comments on him is to be commended. I’ve only read a little bit but have always enjoyed it even if it was a bit beyond me. Maybe a bit like Sam listening to the Elves.

I wonder if “kingfisher catches fire” isn’t a reference to Christ?