Francis thompson hound of heaven pdf

It was included in the oxford book of english mystical verse. Francis thompson was born into a welltodo catholic family in manchester, england, in 1859. The happiness is in the seeking, the misery in the denial. After attending college, he moved to london to become a writer, but in menial work, became addicted to opium, and was a street vagrant for years. A pocketsized illustrated version of the francis thompson s classic poem, the hound of heaven. Ives gammell 18931981, a pictorial sequence painted by r. His poems, mainly religious, are rich in imagery and poetic vision. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed. The project gutenberg etext of the hound of heaven, by. The hound of heaven poem by francis thompson poem hunter. This electronic version was created for free distribution by philip a. This title was inspired the 182line poem by francis thompson 18591907, an english poet. I found it on the internet, and quickly saw that it was going to take some work to translate it into the way we speak today. The hound of heaven by francis thompson sermonaudio.

The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom obedlam. I would very much like to have had the opportunity to shake his hand and tell him that he was loved. Thompson 18591907 lived a difficult life before he found hope in god. Richard burton reads the haunting poem the hound of heaven. You are encouraged to pass it on to others, but please do not alter its contents or sell it for profit. Noted for the vivid imagery in his poems, thompson shares his own personal story in these poetic verses. Thompson, francis, 18591907 publisher new york, the macmillan company. Francis thompson 16 december 1859 november 1907 was an english poet and catholic mystic. Commentary on the hound of heaven addeddate 20110603 11. Ives gammells magnum opus at maryhill museum of art.

The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson. In his poem the hound of heaven, the catholic poet francis thompson develops the theme of gods love ever in pursuit of. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of heaven. Oconnor, in a published study of the poem, says that in it francis thompson seems to sing, in verse, the thought of st. The awakening of the domini canes, the dogs of god, meant that the hunt was up once more. The glimpses of an outcasts life in london, too, of one. Best known for his poem the hound of heaven, an aesthetic meditation on gods unwavering pursuit of the authors soul through life, thompson was both deeply religious and hopelessly addicted to opium most of his adult years. Francis thompson was a devout roman catholic who led a. Hound of heaven illustrate francis thompson s poem with images and symbols drawn from diverse ancient and modern sources and they evoke deep human responses.

Ravished by alcohol and drug abuse, he had begun to sense the relentless pursuit of the holy spirit, and the harder he ran, the more he felt the hot breath so to speak of what he called the hound of heaven on his heels. The story of francis thompson, an outcast who became a famous writer. This is a very famous poem that has had much influence. A married couple read his poetry and rescued him, publishing his first book, poems in 1893. Hound of heaven by francis thompson 1859 1907 a failure for solong. Nov 03, 2014 the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. You can also read the full text online using our ereader.

Ives gammell based on the hound of heaven, which was in planning by 1941 and completed in 1956. The hound of heaven, written by francis thompson, is one of the best known religious poems in the english language. Gods love is so great for us, he never stops pursuing us, wherever we are he is there waiting for us to turn to him in complete submission. The hound of heaven is a poem on profound devotion and burning anguish. It first appeared in poems, a collection of francis thompsons works published in 1893. The hound of heaven is a true classic and dreadfully underrated. The poem became famous and was the source of much of thompson s posthumous reputation. Analysis of the poem the hound of heaven 1167 words. Analysis of the poem the hound of heaven 1167 words 5 pages. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. I would circumnavigate back to the same crossroads again and again and again. Fourth sunday of lent the hound of heaven, written by francis. 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.

See more ideas about francis thompson, thompson, the hound of heaven. The hound of heaven the relentless love of god in pursuit of francis thompson hosea 10. At the behest of his father, a doctor, he entered medical school at the age of 18, but at 26 left home to pursue his talent as a writer and poet. King david realized this and pinned his thoughts about gods constant presence in his life in psalms 9. I would just persevere in my path and he would forget about me. Imagery expresses truth more concisely, vividly, memorably, and emotionally than literal statement. It is unmistakably of the immortal things, and if francis thompson had written only that one poem his place among the immortals would be assured. Apr 04, 2016 the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907.

With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed and reduces himself into an withering haggard. The lines of the poem as wel as some background information on the poet can be found here. Thompson s poem was the inspiration for a series of 23 paintings by the american painter r. The hound of heaven by francis thompson free ebook. Much of thompson s story is familiar to lovers of literature. The son of catholic converts, as a boy he was initially educated for the priesthood. Watch our video of the popular song the king of heaven wants us. To be poetically effective, an image must be intelligible and in good taste.

Francis thompson was a remarkable poet and a tortured soul. The hound of heaven illustrate francis thompson s poem with images and symbols drawn from diverse ancient and modern sources and they evoke deep human responses. He was sent to a boarding school to prepare him for the priesthood. Jean young provides beautiful new illustration for this poem. The script was subsequently used on family theatre on june 8, 1949, on february 21, 1951 and on october 27, 1954. Hound of heaven, but it is immediately grasped by the perception. They are together gammells greatest artistic achievement and they represent the zenith of his artistic aims and ideas. Few people have understood these parables better than francis thompson. When he was 18, at his parents insistence, he entered owens college in manchester to follow. The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907.

I reminded of the francis thompson s fateful poem of the hound of heaven where the lord never ceases in his hunt for him. Francis thompson went to london, and there he endured three years of misery that left him in a state of incipient disease. Thompson, francis, 18591907 publisher new york, the macmillan company collection. The last parry commenced when on the television i heard a man named, ravi zacharias. Patmore considered the hound of heaven one of the very few great odes of which the language can boast. Francis thompson the hound of heaven 1 i fled him, down the. Aug 26, 2018 the hound of heaven typifies an important characteristic of our god.

The relentless love of god in pursuit of francis thompson. Francis thompson the hound of heaven 1 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. In the poem the hound of heaven written by francis thompson. Thompson s literary influence is documented through scholarshipranging from newspaper articles to. The hound of heaven by thompson, francis, 18591907. The vagabond poet is a psychic traveler in the abstract realm of god, and god realization is his only concern.

Richard burton reads the haunting poem the hound of. It begins with the title hound of heaven, the name is strange. When he was 18, at his parents insistence, he entered owens college in manchester to follow in his fathers footsteps and study medicine. It was included in the oxford book of english mystical verse 1917. The poem the hound of heaven by francis thompson is one of the most loved and powerful poems of english literature. Nov 06, 2000 in the mid 1800s francis thompson was in the throes of battle with truth. Francis thompson 18591907 francis thompson was born in northwest england in 1859. Twenty years after this poem was printed 1893, a short interpretive essay by john oconor explains the meaning it in his own poetic way. Had he merely stood at the door, waiting for david to come to him and say.

The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of. Mar 05, 2010 today, my directress suggested that we read a poem called the hound of heaven by francis thompson 18591907. This morning id like to let a dead man preach to you. He was employed as a bookseller agent, and with shoemakers, but very briefly, and became a stray on londons. Francis thompson 16 december 1859 november 1907 francis thompson was an english poet and ascetic.

I fled him, down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind. Here, surely, heaven is taken by violence and the violent bear it away. This is francis thompson s the hound of heaven, a phrase name many have heard, but few know why. When it became clear his vocation lay elsewhere he was sent to train, like his father, as a physician. A sermon preached in duke university chapel on september 16, 2007 by the revd dr sam wells.

785 1216 78 421 429 40 1615 409 245 558 630 1763 1300 587 631 575 211 736 1104 1167 237 302 1247 1619 1240 1068 215 727 338 582 1282 1298 586 1117 785 989 459