To What Serves Mortal Beauty?

Gerard Manley Hopkins

To what serves mortal beauty ‘—dangerous; does set danc-
ing blood—the O-seal-that-so ‘ feature, flung prouder form
Than Purcell tune lets tread to? ‘See: it does this: keeps warm
Men’s wits to the things that are;’ what good means—where a glance
Master more may than gaze, ‘gaze out of countenance.
Those lovely lads once, wet-fresh’ windfalls of war’s storm,
How then should Gregory, a father, ‘have gleanèd else from swarm-
ed Rome? But God to a nation ‘ dealt that day’s dear chance.
  To man, that needs would worship ‘ block or barren stone,
Our law says: Love what are ‘ love’s worthiest, were all known;
World’s loveliest—men’s selves. Self ‘flashes off frame and face.
What do then? how meet beauty?’ Merely meet it; own,
Home at heart, heaven’s sweet gift; ‘then leave, let that alone.
Yea, wish that though, wish all,’ God’s better beauty, grace.

Next 10 Poems

• Gerard Manley Hopkins : Tom's Garland
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : What Being In Rank-old Nature
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : What Being In Rank-old Nature Should Earlier Have That Breath Been
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : What Shall I Do For The Land That Bred Me
• Alfred Edward Housman : 1887
• Alfred Edward Housman : Along The Field As We Came By
• Alfred Edward Housman : As Through The Wild Green Hills Of Wyre
• Alfred Edward Housman : Be Still, My Soul, Be Still
• Alfred Edward Housman : Be Still, My Soul, Be Still; The Arms You Bear Are Brittle
• Alfred Edward Housman : Bredon Hill

Previous 10 Poems

• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To Seem The Stranger Lies My Lot, My Life
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To R. B.
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To His Watch
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To Him Who Ever Thought With Love Of Me
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To A Young Child
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : Thou Art Indeed Just
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : Thee, God, I Come From, To Thee Go
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : Thee, God, I Come From
• Gerard Manley Hopkins : The Wreck Of The Deutschland