The hound of heaven poem by francis thompson poem hunter. You can also read the full text online using our ereader. Full text of a study of francis thompsons hound of heaven. Last week i wrote about the story of the prodigal son, and this weeks poem could just as well be about that story. Few people have understood these parables better than francis thompson. Yet god, said francis, graciously pursued him, as it were, as the hound of heaven. Dedicated with permission to his eminence cardinal farley father oconors study of francis thompsons hound of heaven contains the complete poem, an interpretation, a mys tical application and parallel with the spiritual exercises of st. I fled him, down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind. This title was inspired the 182line poem by francis thompson 18591907, an english poet.
He was sent to a boarding school to prepare him for the priesthood. I highly recommend this kindle edition to anyone who seeks to be enriched by francis thompsons portrayal of a loving, omnipotent, and omniscient god who seeks after us as the hound of heaven. Against the red throb of its sunsetheart i laid my own to beat, and share commingling heat. This is a modern adaptation of the poem the hound of heaven written by francis thompson produced by emblem media llc. The story francis thompson tells in his classic poem the hound of heaven works in exactly this waystirring our hearts with a. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of heaven. A brilliant addicted poet, a tortured soul, writing of the genius, the godstuff, in us all. 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. The hound of heaven is a classic poem that has been compared to shakespeare and also has been called the greatest ode in the english language. One evening, our boardingmaster, reverend brother andrew michael, a christian brother of the order. By francis thompson 1890 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. The hound of heaven by thompson, francis, 18591907. At the behest of his father, a doctor, he entered medical school at the age of.
The senior thompson thought it time for him to learn and issued orders to find employment of some remunerative kind. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 18591907 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. Jul 09, 2012 eugene oneill could recite francis thompson s hound of heaven from memory, and j. Chesterton considered thompson one of the great english poets, a shy. Francis thompson by thompson, francis seller mw books ltd. If youre like me, and youve just now stumbled upon the hound of heaven by francis thompson this book is for you. Francis thompsons haunting the hound of heaven captures the feelings of one who, overwhelmed by guilt or a sense of unworthiness, attempts to shut god out of hisher life. The poem describes how god pursues us as sinners with patient, victorious, saving love paradoxically pictured as a blood hound hunts down a criminal, but here to save me. He pursues by his divine grace those upon whom he bestows his love. You drove love from yourself, you who drove it from me. Eugene oneill could recite francis thompsons hound of heaven from memory, and j.
The vagabond poet is a psychic traveler in the abstract realm of god, and god realization is his only concern. What does the last line of francis thompsons poem the. This morning id like to let a dead man preach to you. The hound of heaven is a poem on profound devotion and burning anguish. Buy hound of heaven new edition by thompson, francis, young, jean isbn. The hound of heaven by francis thompson, read by richard burton duration.
When it became clear his vocation lay elsewhere he was sent to train, like his father, as a physician. It was way back in 1952 when i was 11 years old studying at st. 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 understand. The poem was first published in thompsons first volume of poems in 1893.
Feb 11, 2010 the lines of the poem as wel as some background information on the poet can be found here. Heaven and i wept together, and its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine. The hound in the poem is the lord who continually seeks the writer even though the writer keeps running from him. This electronic version was created for free distribution by philip a.
Francis thompson was born into a welltodo catholic family in manchester, england, in 1859. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed and reduces himself into an withering haggard. Sep 17, 2014 the hound of heaven by francis thompson, read by richard burton duration. 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 hound of heaven exhibit and related programs are supported by the r. What does the last line of francis thompsons poem the hound. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. When he was 18, at his parents insistence, he entered owens college in manchester to follow. I fled him down the nights and down the days i fled him down the arches of the years i fled him down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind, and in the midst of tears i hid from him, and under running laughter. The lines of the poem as wel as some background information on the poet can be found here.
Francis thompson was a devout roman catholic who led a. The hound of heaven francis thompsons haunting poem. In the mid 1800s francis thompson was in the throes of battle with truth. Oconnor, in a published study of the poem, says that in it francis thompson seems to sing, in verse, the thought of st. This is a very famous poem that has had much influence.
The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of. The hound of heaven explained the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. It does a great job at introducing this great work of poetry and helping new readers come to grips with the message of the poem as well as the poet who penned it. The hound of heaven by francis thompson, paperback barnes. Richard burton reads the haunting poem the hound of heaven. I can still remember the day i first heard the recitation of francis thompsons the hound of heaven. The hound of heaven by francis thompson, paperback. He spent three years on the streets of london, supporting himself with menial labour, becoming addicted to. There once was a man who had two sons the simplicity of this famous parable belies some richly profound truths.
The son of catholic converts, as a boy he was initially educated for the priesthood. Francis thompson the hound of heaven 1 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. I highly recommend this kindle edition to anyone who seeks to be enriched by francis thompson s portrayal of a loving, omnipotent, and omniscient god who seeks after us as 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. The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom o.
It was included in the oxford book of english mystical verse 1917. In his poem the hound of heaven, the catholic poet francis thompson develops the theme of gods love ever in pursuit of man who tries to find consolation elsewhere. It first appeared in poems, a collection of francis thompsons works published in 1893. The hound of heaven a modern adaptation child of grace. But not by that, by that, was eased my human smart. The fund was established in 2000 to support the care and conservation, exhibits and education of the public concerning the hound of heaven series by r. Aug 26, 2018 the hound of heaven typifies an important characteristic of our god.
When he was 18, at his parents insistence, he entered owens college in manchester to follow in his fathers footsteps and study medicine. The awakening of the domini canes, the dogs of god, meant that the hunt was up once more. The hound of heaven typifies an important characteristic of our god. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed. Francis thompson 16 december 1859 november 1907 was an english poet and mystic. The project gutenberg etext of the hound of heaven, by. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907.
Accordingly during the next two years francis served indifferently for brief periods as a clerk in the shop of a maker of surgical instruments and as a canvasser of an encyclopedia. The poem became famous and was the source of much of thompsons posthumous reputation. Apr 04, 2016 the hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. A pocketsized illustrated version of the francis thompsons cl. The hound of heaven wikisource, the free online library. Francis thompson 18591907 francis thompson was born in northwest england in 1859. Apr 24, 2011 the poem describes how god pursues us as sinners with patient, victorious, saving love paradoxically pictured as a blood hound hunts down a criminal, but here to save me. The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom obedlam. Watch our video of the popular song the king of heaven wants us. Editions of the hound of heaven by francis thompson.
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