Tom's Garland

Gerard Manley Hopkins

upon the Unemployed


Tom—garlanded with squat and surly steel
Tom; then Tom's fallowbootfellow piles pick
By him and rips out rockfire homeforth—sturdy Dick;
Tom Heart-at-ease, Tom Navvy: he is all for his meal
Sure, 's bed now. Low be it: lustily he his low lot (feel
That ne'er need hunger, Tom; Tom seldom sick,
Seldomer heartsore; that treads through, prickproof, thick
Thousands of thorns, thoughts) swings though. Commonweal
Little I reck ho! lacklevel in, if all had bread:
What! Country is honour enough in all us—lordly head,
With heaven's lights high hung round, or, mother-ground
That mammocks, mighty foot. But no way sped,
Nor mind nor mainstrength; gold go garlanded
With, perilous, O nó; nor yet plod safe shod sound;
Undenizened, beyond bound
Of earth's glory, earth's ease, all; no one, nowhere,
In wide the world's weal; rare gold, bold steel, bare
In both; care, but share care—
This, by Despair, bred Hangdog dull; by Rage,
Manwolf, worse; and their packs infest the age.

Next 10 Poems

• 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
• Alfred Edward Housman : Bring, In This Timeless Grave To Throw

Previous 10 Poems

• Gerard Manley Hopkins : To What Serves Mortal Beauty?
• 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