Francis was born in a devout roman catholic family. He was running from his father, from his failure as a medical student, from god himself. You can also read the full text online using our ereader. Although i still prefer the original, i am glad that the author has included the modern adaption as i. 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. They also arranged for the publication of his first book in 1893, simply titled poems, which included the hound of heaven. The hound of heaven wikisource, the free online library. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of heaven. Something comes through the poem that we cannot quite put our finger on. The hound of heaven typifies an important characteristic of our god. This electronic version was created for free distribution by philip a. The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom obedlam. The hound of heaven still rings true for humans that.
A priest i used to admire used it in a class he was teaching. 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. The hound in the poem is the lord who continually seeks the writer even though the writer keeps running from him. In the 1930s stalin ordered a purge of all bibles and all believers.
This is a modern adaptation of the poem the hound of heaven written by francis thompson produced by emblem media llc. Analysis of the poem the hound of heaven analysis of the poem the hound of heaven 1167 words 5 pages. Download thehoundofheaven ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. Noted for the vivid imagery in his poems, thompson shares his own personal story in these poetic verses. This book includes the history of the author, the original poem, and a modern adaptation. The hound of heaven,max lucado read more about spiritual life growth, christian living, and faith. It first appeared in poems, a collection of francis thompsons works. Indeed, at first, i nonchalantly thought of it a pursuing a doctorate in christian apologetics. The modern adaptation of the poem leaves no doubt as to the message of the poem and makes it that much easier to grasp the original. Analysis of the poem the hound of heaven 1167 words. I did not proceed to the ingress of the seminary gingerly. 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. The hound of heaven by francis thompson read by tom o.
Hound of heaven by francis thompson semantic scholar. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 18591907 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. The simplicity of this famous parable belies some richly profound truths. This is a very famous poem that has had much influence. The poem became famous and was the source of much of thompsons posthumous reputation. The poem the hound of heaven by francis thompson is one of the most loved and powerful poems of english literature. The hound of heaven quotes showing 17 of 7 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. It seems to me he spent an entire semester on it maybe it just felt that long. The hound of heaven by francis thompson free ebook. I liked aspects of the poem and i still do particularly i fled him down the nights and down the days. Oconnor, in a published study of the poem, says that in it francis thompson seems to sing, in verse, the thought of st. Lewis is most famous for his childrens fantasy series, the chronicles of narnia, but by the time he had written them, he had already spent forty years becoming one of the last centurys most prolific letterwriters.
I reminded of the francis thompsons fateful poem of the hound of heaven. If youve never heard those famous opening lines from francis thompsons classic poem, the hound of heaven, its not surprising. What does the last line of francis thompsons poem the. The original poem is included as well, although the language is almost foreign. Additionally, there is a short biography of thompson. But not by that, by that, was eased my human smart. The hounds of heaven represent an ancient spiritual and psychological metaphor. You are encouraged to pass it on to others, but please do not alter its contents or sell it for profit. In our day, this 19th century poet has fallen into obscurity. A summary of the poem the hound of heaven is autobiographical for it tells of thompsons own story of being utterly lost, and relentlessly pursued by god, and finally found. In stavropol, russia, this order was carried out with vengeance. My brother adam worked with an egyptian guy whose cousin was a priest. Whether this poem is autobiographical or not, 8 the hound of heaven seems largely a superfluous academic question.
Francis thompson 18591907 the hound of heaven original. 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. The book was written by brian and sally oxley, sonja oxley peterson with dr. They represent unknown terrors which approach from the darkness. Get hound of heaven pdf file for free from our online library pdf file. I have heard people refer to the hound of heaven but never knew the story behind it. The hound of heaven and a young russian agnostic andrea wolfe, on staff with the comission office in raleigh, north carolina tells the following story. Thompson 18591907 lived a difficult life before he found hope in god. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed. The hound of heaven by francis thompson 1890 hound of. The project gutenberg etext of the hound of heaven, by. By francis thompson 1890 i fled him, down the nights and down the days. Thousands have read the hound of heaven with tears, for it is the story of gods pursuit of all, who, like thompson, reject him, and try to flee from him.
The hound of heaven is a 182line poem written by english poet francis thompson 18591907. He was reciting from memory the hound of heaven, a long poem about the ways of god and the evasive maneuvers of the human soul. Here is one of my favorite poems with annotations to help us reflect on it with more appreciation. But there was a time when thompsons fellow writers praised his pen as among the most poignant in the englishspeaking world. The awakening of the domini canes, the dogs of god, meant that the hunt was up once more.
Eugene oneill could recite francis thompsons hound of heaven from memory. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. The hound of heaven a modern adaptation child of grace. One of the most loved and possibly one of the more difficult christian poems to read and appreciate, the hound of heaven has been loved for over a century. The hound of heaven is a poem on profound devotion and burning anguish. Long after hours in the back room of a greenwich village bar called the hell hole, the man who would become americas most celebrated playwright seemed to be straining in a hell all his own. The hound of heaven is a poem centering on the pursuit of a sinner by a loving god. Watch our video of the popular song the king of heaven wants us. The hound of heaven by francis thompson famous poems. It was included in the oxford book of english mystical verse 1917. You drove love from yourself, you who drove it from me. The poem was first published in thompsons first volume of poems in 1893. With felicitous grace and reverential delicacy thompson gives our lord an unwonted and daring title and throughout the poem never once. In the end the reader of the poem is less fascinated by the reasons and emotions of the one running away.
First, the literary editor wilfred meynell published one of thompsons poems and began a close. Glad i stumbled upon this interpretation of the hound of heaven. Thousands of bibles were confiscated, and multitudes of believers were sent to the gulagsprison campswhere. Its a poem that every catholic schoolchild knew once upon a time. My brother, knowing how involved i became in the church, told his coworker that i probably knew his cousin, father nasser, and he called me at work to ask me. 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 hound of heaven exhibit and related programs are supported by the r. The hounds of heaven chase the fearful soul through the darkness of unknowing, marked only by their blazing eyes, slavering fangs, and rumbling growl. The hound of heaven poem by francis thompson poem hunter. The father in his wisdom, proclaims that it is time the saviour he is ready to face new paradigms the angels gather round him, falling at his feet the son leaves heavens glory for an earthly street the audience in heaven, turning from the throne gazing into time and space, longing for their own. Thompson spent the years from 18931897 nursing his frail health in a monastery in wales.
Although the poem is not an easy read, i found the commentaries very helpful in understanding the meaning of the hound of heaven and relating it to the life of francis thompson. He pursues by his divine grace those upon whom he bestows his love. You might recognize the phrase all deliberate speed, for it is reminted in the second brown v board supreme court judgement on school desegregation in 1955. Download pdf thehoundofheaven free online new books. The poem was immediately recognized as a masterpiece. Heaven and i wept together, and its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine. Against the red throb of its sunsetheart i laid my own to beat, and share commingling heat. The vagabond poet is a psychic traveler in the abstract realm of god, and god realization is his only concern. I fled him, down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind. With frantic poignancy the devotee in the poet seeks the deliberate speed and reduces himself into an withering haggard. Many products that you buy can be obtained using instruction manuals. Something comes through the poem that we cannot quite put our finger on god bless you richly.