{"id":12622,"date":"2015-06-12T18:30:28","date_gmt":"2015-06-13T01:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nettiesworld.com\/?p=12622"},"modified":"2017-06-28T21:02:58","modified_gmt":"2017-06-29T04:02:58","slug":"the-blessed-virgin-compared-to-the-air-we-breathe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/?p=12622","title":{"rendered":"The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u00a037. The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Gerard Manley Hopkins\u00a0(1844\u201389).\u00a0\u00a0Poems.\u00a0\u00a01918.<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WILD air, world-mothering air,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nestling me everywhere,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
That each eyelash or hair<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Girdles; goes home betwixt<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The fleeciest, frailest-flixed<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a05<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Snowflake; that \u2019s fairly mixed<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With, riddles, and is rife<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In every least thing\u2019s life;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This needful, never spent,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
And nursing element;<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My more than meat and drink,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My meal at every wink;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This air, which, by life\u2019s law,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My lung must draw and draw<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Now but to breathe its praise,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a015<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Minds me in many ways<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Of her who not only<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gave God\u2019s infinity<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dwindled to infancy<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welcome in womb and breast,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a020<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birth, milk, and all the rest<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
But mothers each new grace<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
That does now reach our race\u2014<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mary Immaculate,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Merely a woman, yet<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a025<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whose presence, power is<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great as no goddess\u2019s<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Was deem\u00e8d, dream\u00e8d; who<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This one work has to do\u2014<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Let all God\u2019s glory through,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a030<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
God\u2019s glory which would go<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Through her and from her flow<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Off, and no way but so.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I say that we are wound<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With mercy round and round<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a035<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
As if with air: the same<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is Mary, more by name.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
She, wild web, wondrous robe,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mantles the guilty globe,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Since God has let dispense<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a040<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Her prayers his providence:<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nay, more than almoner,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The sweet alms\u2019 self is her<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
And men are meant to share<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Her life as life does air.<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a045<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If I have understood,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
She holds high motherhood<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Towards all our ghostly good<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
And plays in grace her part<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
About man\u2019s beating heart,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a050<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Laying, like air\u2019s fine flood,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The deathdance in his blood;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yet no part but what will<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Be Christ our Saviour still.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Of her flesh he took flesh:<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a055<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
He does take fresh and fresh,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Though much the mystery how,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Not flesh but spirit now<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
And makes, O marvellous!<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Nazareths in us,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a060<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Where she shall yet conceive<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Him, morning, noon, and eve;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Bethlems, and he born<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
There, evening, noon, and morn\u2014<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bethlem or Nazareth,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a065<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Men here may draw like breath<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
More Christ and baffle death;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who, born so, comes to be<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New self and nobler me<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In each one and each one<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a070<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
More makes, when all is done,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Both God\u2019s and Mary\u2019s Son.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Again, look overhead<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How air is azur\u00e8d;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O how! nay do but stand<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a075<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Where you can lift your hand<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Skywards: rich, rich it laps<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Round the four fingergaps.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yet such a sapphire-shot,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Charged, steep\u00e8d sky will not<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a080<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stain light. Yea, mark you this:<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
It does no prejudice.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The glass-blue days are those<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When every colour glows,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Each shape and shadow shows.<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a085<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Blue be it: this blue heaven<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The seven or seven times seven<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hued sunbeam will transmit<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Perfect, not alter it.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Or if there does some soft,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a090<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
On things aloof, aloft,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bloom breathe, that one breath more<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Earth is the fairer for.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whereas did air not make<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This bath of blue and slake<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a095<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
His fire, the sun would shake,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A blear and blinding ball<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With blackness bound, and all<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The thick stars round him roll<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Flashing like flecks of coal,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0100<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quartz-fret, or sparks of salt,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In grimy vasty vault.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0So God was god of old:<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A mother came to mould<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Those limbs like ours which are<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0105<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What must make our daystar<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Much dearer to mankind;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whose glory bare would blind<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Or less would win man\u2019s mind.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Through her we may see him<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0110<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Made sweeter, not made dim,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
And her hand leaves his light<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sifted to suit our sight.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Be thou then, O thou dear<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mother, my atmosphere;<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0115<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My happier world, wherein<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
To wend and meet no sin;<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Above me, round me lie<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fronting my froward eye<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With sweet and scarless sky;<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0120<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stir in my ears, speak there<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Of God\u2019s love, O live air,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Of patience, penance, prayer:<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
World-mothering air, air wild,<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wound with thee, in thee isled,<\/td>\n<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0125<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fold home, fast fold thy child.<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
See Notes<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Borrowed\u00a0from Bartleby.com<\/a>
\nGreat Books Online,
\na wonderful resource.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Full<\/a>
Full title: The Virgin in Prayer
Artist: Sassoferrato
Date made: 1640-50
Source: http:\/\/www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk\/
Contact: picture.library@nationalgallery.co.uk
Copyright \u00a9 The National Gallery, London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a037. The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe Gerard Manley Hopkins\u00a0(1844\u201389).\u00a0\u00a0Poems.\u00a0\u00a01918. WILD air, world-mothering air, Nestling me everywhere, That each eyelash or hair Girdles; goes home betwixt The fleeciest, frailest-flixed \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a05 Snowflake; that \u2019s fairly mixed With, riddles, and is rife In every least thing\u2019s life; This needful, never spent, And nursing element; […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[345,7,343,598,344],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blessed-virgin-mary","category-catholic","category-literature-2","category-netties-world","category-poetry","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12622"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12633,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12622\/revisions\/12633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.adoptedjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}