Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PIED BEAUTY, by STANLEY J. SHARPLESS



Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PIED BEAUTY, by                    
First Line: Glory be to god for hopkins' verse
Last Line: Praise him!
Subject(s): God; Hopkins, Gerard Manley (1844-1889); Poetry & Poets; Praise; Religion; Theology


Glory be to God for Hopkins' verse,
Which sprang sprung-rhythm on us; outraged syntax,
Hyphened and bracketed meaning in desperately-knotted stanzas,
Plotted and pieced together — tormentingly terse,
As though the uneasy author were sitting on tin-tacks,
While fathering-forth mind-blowing extravaganzas.

Oh, how he goes on (and on!), this tortured languagelover,
Whatever is bitter-sweet, contrariwise, he lauds,
Driven by God-only-knows what scourge, what whim;
For the sheer sharp shock of the way he puts it over,
Praise him!





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