Hopkins "Pied Beauty"

Creator of Everything: An Essay on Gerald Manley Hopkins' Poem "Pied Beauty"

Psalm 19:1-6 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Although some would suggest that writing about nature first became popular in the Romantic Age, this Psalm was written centuries before the Romantic Age, and displays the beauty of God’s creation. Centuries later, a Jesuit priest, Gerald Manley Hopkins, wrote poetry reminiscent of the psalms, displaying how God fit into the actions of the current time. In the poem “Pied Beauty,” Hopkins reflects on the changes of the Industrial Revolution, showing, both through form and content, that although the focus has shifted from nature to industry, God is the creator of everything and should be praised for the beautiful variety of it all.