Poem in Memory of Gerard Manley Hopkins

In dappled shadows of nature's fair design,
Where beauty blooms in hues of rare delight,
I find my solace, whispered and divine,
A poet's heart attuned to nature's flight.

Oh, glory be to God, the wondrous source,
Whose hand has painted every leaf and wing,
In sacred rhythms, melodies endorse,
He weaves His artistry in everything.

For in each petal's delicate array,
I glimpse a choir of angels, soft and pure,
A symphony of life, in colors sway,
A testament to grace that will endure.

The rising sun, a beacon in the morn,
With golden fingers, touches earth's embrace,
A hymn of light, a sacrament reborn,
As morning dew adorns each blade with grace.

The robin's song, a sonnet on the breeze,
A melody that dances through the air,
It tells of joy, of hope that never cease,
And lifts my soul with songs of fervent prayer.

But ah, the ache that lies within my breast,
As nature's beauty fades with passing days,
I mourn the loss, the fleeting and the best,
Yet still find solace in my heart's displays.

For as the seasons change and colors fade,
New verses bloom in nature's endless tome,
And though each moment drifts, a fragile shade,
The poet's pen will find a lasting home.

So let me sing of sunsets' golden gleam,
Of silent woods and rivers' gentle flow,
Of wildflowers that dance in meadows' dream,
And whisper love in language angels know.

Oh, Gerald Manley Hopkins, guide my pen,
Inspire my verses with your sacred fire,
In nature's praise, may beauty rise again,
And echoes of your words forever inspire.