1a. For what does the speaker say glory be to God?
2a. In what way do the fields mentioned in line 5 differ from the things mentioned in lines 1–4?
3a. With what request does the poem end?
4a. Identify the things from nature that are mentioned in lines 1–5. What do these things have in common?
5a. Consider the connection between lines 7–9 and 1–6. How do lines 1-6 support the ideas in lines 7–9?
1b. Why are these things so impressive?
2b. Explain how God is still responsible for these things.
3b. What aspect of God does the speaker want the reader to see as worthy of praise?
4b. What else could you include in this list?
5b. What do you think of when you see the beauty and variety in nature?
Sprung Rhythm. Scan the poem. Write each line and mark the stressed syllables.
1. At what point do several strongly stressed syllables appear in a row?
Alliteration. What examples of alliteration can you find in this poem? What other repeated sounds can you find?
1a. What according to line 1, is the world charged with?
2a. What, according to lines 5–8, have generations done to the world?
3a. Why is nature never spent?
4a. What abuses of nature are mentioned in this poem?
5a. Do you agree with Hopkins that "There lives the dearest freshness deep down things"?
1b. With what force is the word charge ordinarily associated? What is Hopkins saying about the relationship of God to the world?
2b. What overall effect have humans had on the natural world?
3b. What attitude does Hopkins have toward the natural world?
4b. What more recent abuses might you add to this list?
5b. Do you think Hopkins would change his mind if he saw the world today?
Sonnet. What description is presented in the first four lines of the octave? What description is presented in the second four lines of the octave? What point is made about nature in the opening of the sestet? To what does the speaker attribute nature's characteristics in the rest of the sestet?
Repetition. What example of repetition appears in line 5? How does this repetition mirror the sense of the line?
1a. What question does the speaker ask in lines 1–2?
2a. What will come as "the heart grows older"?
3a. According to line 15, what is it Margaret mourns for?
4a. Outline the speaker's argument.
5a. Evaluate the speaker's feelings about aging.
1b. Why might the speaker think this is the reason for Margaret's grieving?
2b. What does this prophecy suggest about the speaker's attitude toward life?
3b. Why would a child mourn this way?
4b. What if Margaret had answered the speaker's first question? What might she have said?
5b. Compare and contrast the attitude toward life expressed in this poem with that expressed in "Pied Beauty" and "God's Grandeur."
Metaphor. The seasons fall and spring are often used metaphorically. To what are they compared in this poem?
Theme. What theme does the metaphor of the seasons express in this poem?
1. Write a cheer for something unusual that you find beautiful. In the cheer identify some important characteristics of this thing.
2. Write an editorial about humans' effects on the natural world.
3. Write a short story about a young person realizing his or her mortality.
Identifying Parts of Speech. The word leaves is both a verb and a noun. The following words can be assigned different parts of speech as well. Using a dictionary, determine the definition for each part of speech for each word. You may also want to refer to the Language Arts Survey 3.7, "Grammar Reference Chart—Parts of Speech Overview."
1. fold
2. spring
3. spare
4. fall
5. lie
Pied Beauty Nature Guide. Make a nature guide celebrating pied beauty. Choose animals that show distinctive coloring or markings. Use encyclopedias, field guides, and other resources to learn more about your subject. Write a brief description of the animal, its habitat, habits, and other key points. Include an illustration to show the pied beauty of the animal you chose.
Research Findings on Pied Beauties in Nature:
Sources Used:
