Spring and Fall: To a Young Child

by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Genres: Poetry, 19th Century, Classics

First published July 23, 2012

About the author

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) was an English poet, Roman Catholic convert, and Jesuit priest, whose 20th-century fame established him posthumously among the leading Victorian poets. His experimental explorations in prosody (especially sprung rhythm) and his use of imagery established him as a daring innovator in a period of largely traditional verse.

Reviews

[HR Habibur Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ঘুমিয়ে আছে শিশুর পিতা / সব শিশুদের অন্তরে।

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty poignant poem which highlights the fact that most of our anguish and anxiety over change is really about us and not about the thing changed.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poem is very simple and sweet.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring and Fall to a Young Child - Illuminating the truth that our anguish over change is the change in us, not the change itself.

[asiya | アセヤ (free palestine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't remember this; need to re-read it.

[Garima Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful poem about loss and how to overcome it.it is addressed to a child and how she is missing and how author helps her,actually that young child is young Hopkins only.

[Emmysoo]

This poem has to be my favourite poem of all time. Then again, I haven't read many poems, but I still think this will still be up there once I read some more poems. The last two lines always get me. It's a plot twist if you may. A realisation so great that Margaret, a small child (I picture her to be around 6 to 8) has no chance of understanding it. And yet it is true. That statement holds more truth than anything else Margaret will ever see or hear.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

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