Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Last night, after having a particularly chaotic day, I found solace in the poetry of G. M. Hopkins.

I was reading Selection of Poems and Prose courtesy PIA Library. I kept reading it till late night, until my mind was completely alleviated from the miseries of my life. Such is his writings.

His peculiar way of ending each prose open-ended, letting the reader wonder what is coming is absolutely amazing. I also loved the firmness and simplicity of his verses. I loved the originality of his writings. The thoughts and ideas a common man can only feel at the furthest corner of his heart, Hopkins expressed it. I was surprised to learn that a poet of such a great talent was ignored and misunderstood during this lifetime. He passed way in 1889 due to typhoid fever, while the first selection of his poems was published nearly after 30 years, in 1918. He lived his life misunderstood! The fact that amazes me is I connect with his writings so absolutely and many times, I feel misunderstood as well.

Please share with me here, poetry by Hopkins – the person who lived neglected yet eternal.

Shazia.