Glory be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise Him.
The words of Hopkins’ Pied Beauty flow from one another in an unexpected, sometimes confusing, but mysteriously melodic manner. Such is the unmistakable charism of Hopkins’ verse. Yet in this particular poem, it is the content of the words that is more striking than the words themselves. To anyone who has read the poem more than a few times, the first line—“Glory be to God for dappled things”—has a way of sticking in the mind, reemerging repeatedly as the reader meanders through life. At first glance, it is a strange statement. What exactly is a “dappled thing,” and why should we glorify God because of it? Indeed, everything that Hopkins mentions in the poem carries a similar sentiment. “Brinded cows” and “fold, fallow landscapes” are not exactly aesthetic paragons. How is it that Hopkins perceives the almighty God “fathering forth” such eccentric images and entities?
The words “Glory be to God for dappled things” first reached my ears at the base of the Grand Tetons, in the midst of a nighttime cross country skiing excursion under the towering peaks and iridescent stars. It was during my Freshman Winter Expedition at Wyoming Catholic College, and the words were voiced by an upperclassman who was leading my group. Pied Beauty is one of the poems that all students at Wyoming Catholic College memorize, and it has found a special place in our community because it embraces the vocabulary of our everyday experience. In speaking of “rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim” and “trades, their gear and tackle and trim,” Hopkins is not speaking of anything you would find in a museum, art gallery, or even a National Park. He is not speaking of experiences that have been curated to provide aesthetic satisfaction. Instead, he expresses those moments of direct, raw encounter with reality. Hopkins’ poem speaks to the farmer who happens to glance up at a marvelous sunrise above the dew-ladden hay. It speaks to the cowboy who steals a few minutes’ peace under the undiluted stars after a hard day’s riding. It speaks to the unshowered boy who, a few nights into a 21-day backpacking trip in the Rockies, with sore muscles and a few blisters, looks up into the night sky and, for the first time in his life, knows that God is right there with him, present in the smiling friends around him and the towering mountains above him. At least, that is how the poem spoke to me.
The Catholic world has always been riddled with dialectical proofs of God’s existence and carefully crafted catechisms. But Hopkins’ poem and my experience at Wyoming Catholic College have reminded me of a core truth: an essential element of Catholic education is direct, unmediated, unfiltered experience of creation. If we detach ourselves from the distended edifices of secular materialism and return to the “brinded cows” and “finches’ wings” found in the simplicity of nature, we will inevitably be led to Him who “fathers forth” such realities. If we seek to educate ourselves as true Catholics, who live in accordance with faith and charity, we must begin our formation as God created us to begin: with immediate experiences of the beauty of the Garden. We must encounter God’s “First Book” far before we read or write our own books.
Article written by Mr. John Walsh, ’24 graduate and class speaker.
About Wyoming Catholic College
Wyoming Catholic College offers a four-year bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts with an emphasis on the outdoors, horsemanship, a fast from technology, immersed in the teachings and traditions of the Church. We form students through a rigorous immersion in the great books tradition, the grandeur of the mountain wilderness, and the spiritual heritage of the Catholic Church. Grounded in real experience and thoughtful reflection, our graduates love truth, think clearly, and communicate eloquently, engaging with the world as it is.
Wyoming Catholic College is now accepting registrations for their summer PEAK program. Based in Lander, Wyo., the PEAK program offers a unique experience for rising juniors and seniors with adventurous spirits and a love for the outdoors. With the choice of two different sessions, from June 1-15 or June 16-30, students are given the opportunity to study the Great Books under the instruction of WCC faculty and to immerse themselves in the sacraments. Students are also engaged in a variety of outdoor activities, tailored to the experience and fitness of each participant, including rock climbing and a 4-day backpacking excursion. Students are encouraged to ask a WCC admissions counselor about travel credit. Learn more at wyomingcatholic.edu/peak