Wednesday, January 9, 2008

"Christ Plays in 10,000 Places"

"As Kingfishers Catch Fire, Dragonflies Draw Flame," by Gerard Manley Hopkins

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves--goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.
Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is--
Chríst--for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.
(bold and italics mine)

Read the whole thing, but look deeply at the end, what I've put in bold and italics. This is one of my favorite poems period. When God looks at you, believer in Christ, remember who He sees. He sees Christ in you. Christ's righteousness, His beauty, His "playing" within you. God, may our acts be in agreement with who we are in Jesus ("Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is--Christ").

1 comment:

Lisa said...

I have not heard of this poem. But what I read I really like it to.

Lisa