Francis thompson poem the hound of heaven

Francis was twentyfour years old with no more idea than a childs of how life is planned on practical lines of prosperity. Thousands have read the hound of heaven with tears, for it is the story of gods pursuit of all, who, like thompson, reject him, and try to flee from him. Anyway, this is a timely purchase, for ewtn is going to broadcast a special on francis thompson s poem tomorrow evening. The story francis thompson tells in his classic poem the hound of heaven works in exactly this waystirring our hearts with a yearning we may not fully understand. While more celebrated poets, like wordsworth, tennyson, and arnold, were content to express their religious leanings in traditional devotional formulae, t. A brilliant addicted poet, a tortured soul, writing of the genius, the godstuff, in us all. It is the sweetest, deepest, strongest song ever written in the english tongue. Although the poem is not an easy read, i found the commentaries very helpful in understanding the meaning of the hound of heaven and relating it to the life of francis thompson. The hound of heaven by francis thompson famous poems.

The hound of heaven by francis thompson 18591907 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. It first appeared in poems, a collection of francis thompsons works published in 1893. The son of catholic converts, as a boy he was initially educated for the priesthood. The poem was first published in thompsons first volume of poems in 1893. The hound of heaven still rings true for humans that flee. Full text of a study of francis thompsons hound of heaven. One evening, our boardingmaster, reverend brother andrew michael, a christian brother of the order. Thompson was educated in the roman catholic faith at ushaw college, a seminary in the north of england. Richard burton the greatest poem in the english language.

Such a work is francis thompson s hound of heaven, which is certainly one of the most remarkable poems that have been published in england for many years. The hound of heaven poem francis thompson poems best. All which i took from thee i did but take, not for. The hound of heaven explained the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. But though on the whole this is a fine piece of writing its too mannered, some of the word choices are poor to the point of. Chesterton describes the hound of heaven as the greatest religious poem of modern times and one of the greatest of all times. This book actually contains two versions of the poem, the original and a modern adaptation. The hound of heaven by francis thompson i fled him down the nights and down the days i fled him down the arches of the years i fled him down the labyrinthine. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed and reduces himself into an withering haggard.

Francis thompson 18591907, english author, ascetic, and drug addict, wrote the hound of heaven. In his poem the hound of heaven, the catholic poet francis thompson develops the theme of gods love ever in pursuit of man who tries to find consolation elsewhere. What does the last line of francis thompsons poem the hound. This great poem, strange to say, is comparatively little known. The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom obedlam. It was way back in 1952 when i was 11 years old studying at st. In the hound of heaven, as in much else that he has written, there is abundance of his own experience, and indeed his poems often remind us of the sorrows of teufelsdrockh. And shot precipitated adown titanic glooms of chasme d hears.

Francis thompson the hound of heaven 1 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. The hound of heaven poem by francis thompson poem hunter. Thompson tells the familiar story of the sinners flight from god, and gods even more insistent pursuit of the erring soulthe poem has major appeal on many levelsthis little. Francis thompson it is a poem about gods relentless pursuit of the human soul that is known and recited worldwide. Francis thompson poems by the famous poet all poetry. To estimate its full significance it is necessary in a few words to recapitulate the course of thought which has been followed in. The book was written by brian and sally oxley, sonja oxley peterson with dr. The hound of heaven is a classic poem that has been compared to shakespeare and also has been called the greatest ode in the english language.

The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom o. But there was a time when thompsons fellow writers praised his pen as among the most poignant in the englishspeaking world. He pursues by his divine grace those upon whom he bestows his love. Francis thompson was a devout roman catholic who led a. I fled him, down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind. In our day, this 19th century poet has fallen into obscurity. Oct 23, 2017 the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english catholic poet francis thompson 18591907. The description of the poem will cause you to want to read and meditate on this centuriesold, masterpiece of prose. The hound of heaven kindle edition by thompson, francis. The vagabond poet is a psychic traveler in the abstract realm of god, and god realization is his only concern. Francis thompson catholic education resource center. Francis thompson 18591907 francis thompson was born in northwest england in 1859.

Thompson spent the years from 18931897 nursing his frail health in a monastery in wales. But though on the whole this is a fine piece of writing its too mannered, some of the word choices are poor to the point of being naff and the rhythm wanders all over the shop. I fled him down the nights and down the daysi fled him down the arches of the yearsi fled him. Apr 15, 2014 this is a modern adaptation of the poem the hound of heaven written by francis thompson produced by emblem media llc. Heaven and i wept together, and its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine. Using the image of a hound pursuing a hare, thompson describes how god sought him through the years despite his own resistance and fear. The hound in the poem is the lord who continually seeks the writer even though the writer keeps running from him. I have learned the advantage of being without it for mental exercise. Its a poem that every catholic schoolchild knew once upon a time. The hound of heaven kindle edition by thompson, francis, langdale, stella. The project gutenberg etext of the hound of heaven, by francis. I highly recommend this kindle edition to anyone who seeks to be enriched by francis thompsons portrayal of a loving, omnipotent, and omniscient god who seeks after us as the hound of heaven. The hound of heaven depicts god pursuing thompson s soul with divine love, and the popularity of this poem is evidence of its subject matter hitting the mark.

Jul 09, 2012 its a poem that every catholic schoolchild knew once upon a time. Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee save me, save only me. The poem was immediately recognized as a masterpiece. Large octavo 9 inches tall, original gilt red cloth, original pictorial dust jacket, decorated blue endpapers, top edge gilt, uncut. The project gutenberg etext of the hound of heaven, by. Like whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee save me, save only me. After attending college, he moved to london with hopes of becoming a writer. The poetry of francis thompson appeared in three small volumes. These 187 lines are the source of much of francis thompson s highly esteemed reputation. They also arranged for the publication of his first book in 1893, simply titled poems, which included the hound of heaven. Yet god, said francis, graciously pursued him, as it were, as the hound of heaven.

A summary of the poem the hound of heaven is autobiographical for it tells of thompsons own story of being utterly lost, and relentlessly pursued by god, and finally found. The poem became famous and was the source of much of. See more ideas about the hound of heaven, poet and heaven poems. The hound of heaven is by the catholic poet, francis thompson 18591907. Francis thompson s autobiographical poem, the hound of heaven, provides another powerful image of gods desire for each of us. Aug 26, 2018 in the book, a study of francis thompsons hound of heaven, author john oconer gives a noteworthy description of the poem. Unlike many of his contemporaries, the english poet francis thompson 18591907 was a true mystic. Filled with striking pen and ink illustrations, this edition of hound of heaven provides visual imagery alongside the written imagery in this poem. The hound of heaven is a poem on profound devotion and burning anguish. Francis was born in a devout roman catholic family. Something comes through the poem that we cannot quite put our finger on. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.

In the book, a study of francis thompson s hound of heaven, author john oconer gives a noteworthy description of the poem. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of. I can still remember the day i first heard the recitation of francis thompson s the hound of heaven. One of the most loved and possibly one of the more difficult christian poems to read and appreciate, the hound of heaven has. By francis thompson 18591907 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. Francis thompson, english poet of the 1890s, whose most famous poem, the hound of heaven, describes the pursuit of the human soul by god. The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english catholic poet francis thompson 18591907. It was included in the oxford book of english mystical verse 1917. I pleaded, outlawwise by many a hearted casement, curtained red, trellised with inter. He was running from his father, from his failure as a medical student, from god himself. The hound of heaven quotes by francis thompson goodreads. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of heaven. Instead, he ended up destitute and addicted to opium. Francis thompson is considered the greatest modern catholic poet, and the hound of heaven his greatest inspiration writing.

Against the red throb of its sunset heart, i laid my own to beat and share commingling heat. Richard burton reads the haunting poem the hound of heaven by francis thompson. By francis thompson 1890 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. I fled him down the nights and down the days i fled him down the arches of the years i fled him down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind, and in the midst of tears i hid from him, and under running laughter. The hound of heaven francis thompsons haunting poem. You drove love from yourself, you who drove it from me. Dedicated with permission to his eminence cardinal farley father oconors study of francis thompsons hound of heaven contains the complete poem, an interpretation, a mys tical application and parallel with the spiritual exercises of st. The poem was first published in thompson s first volume of poems in 1893.

The senior thompson thought it time for him to learn and issued orders to find employment of some remunerative kind. The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. The lines of the poem as wel as some background information on the poet can be found here. When he was 18, at his parents insistence, he entered owens college in manchester to follow in his fathers footsteps and study medicine. One of the most loved and possibly one of the more difficult christian poems to read and appreciate, the hound of heaven has been loved for over a century. Eugene oneill could recite francis thompsons hound of heaven from memory, and j.

It is difficult to write about thompsons poetry without writing mainly about himself. What does the last line of francis thompsons poem the. The first thing they did, wisely, was send thompson to a clinic to dry out, and then to a monastery to convalesce. While more celebrated poets, like wordsworth, tennyson, and arnold, were content to express their religious leanings in traditional devotional formulae, thompson strove to portray the divine directly, in all its terrifying. Richard burton reads the haunting poem the hound of. The hound of heaven wikisource, the free online library. Apr 04, 2016 the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. Eugene oneill could recite francis thompson s hound of heaven from memory. The hound of heaven by francis thompson free ebook. The happiness is in the seeking, the misery in the denial.

Oconnor, in a published study of the poem, says that in it francis thompson seems to sing, in verse, the thought of st. The poem became famous and was the source of much of thompsons posthumous reputation. Donna barber obviously, thompson has been dead for years and he wrote in late victorian and early edwardian times when styles were different. The poem became famous and was the source of much of thompson s posthumous reputation. Jean young provides beautiful new illustration for this poem. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the hound of heaven. Francis thompson 16 december 1859 november 1907 was an english poet and catholic mystic.