(28 July 1844 – 8 June 1889 / Stratford, Essex)

poet Gerard Manley Hopkins
#123 on top 500 poets
Previous Month January 2013 Next Month
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31 1 2 3
Poem of the Day
Select a day from the calendar.
Would you like to see the poem of the day in your e-mail box every morning?
Your email address:
  Subscribe FREE
  Unsubscribe
What do you think this poem is about?

Moonless darkness stands between

Moonless darkness stands between.
Past, the Past, no more be seen!
But the Bethlehem-star may lead me
To the sight of Him Who freed me
From the self that I have been.
Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy;
Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly;
Now beginning, and alway:
Now begin, on Christmas day.

Submitted: Tuesday, November 25, 2003


Read poems about / on: christmas, star

Comments about this poem (Moonless darkness stands between by Gerard Manley Hopkins )

Enter the verification code :

  • Mark Jensen (1/2/2013 2:28:00 AM)

    Very tight poem, expressing an intense devotion humbly yet eloquently (and it's not easy to use thou art and thou wert and still sound natural) . Hopkins is a master, and this poem is delightful to contemplate.

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • JOSEPH POEWHIT (1/2/2010 7:14:00 AM)

    Seems Hopkins is inwardly seeking the perfection of GOD. Shirking vanities and looking for the light.

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • Kevin Straw (1/2/2010 6:50:00 AM)

    Catholic theology expressed with a poet’s special gifts, but material interest only to Catholics.

    1 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Fay Slimm (1/2/2010 12:59:00 AM)

    The poet's heart shines through this prayerful verse and G.M. Hopkins was in his short life a master of the arresting phrase..... being a priest he saw the world in terms of creative conflict at times with his God. This piece is a good example of his strength as a writer.

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • Ramesh T A (1/2/2010 12:48:00 AM)

    Nice way of invocation to overcome oblivion!

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • C.d. Xiang (1/2/2009 12:17:00 AM)

    Expedient work, nonetheless stimulating!

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • Christina Green (1/2/2008 1:31:00 PM)

    Oh wow. This is a(n) very interesting poem. I really like it. I jope to read more poems like that. -smiles-

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • quercus : I've never got paid for my hits... (1/2/2007 7:05:00 PM)

    well, I believe it is a beautiful prayer, rather than a song...Although it's short it tells so much...

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
  • Eddie Loughran (1/2/2007 4:39:00 AM)

    I like this!
    Does anyone know anything about it? It feels to me more like a song, except its too short.

    1 person liked.
    		0 person did not like.
Read all 9 comments »

People who read Gerard Manley Hopkins also read

Top 500 Poems

  1. Phenomenal Woman
    Maya Angelou
  2. The Road Not Taken
    Robert Frost
  3. Still I Rise
    Maya Angelou
  4. If You Forget Me
    Pablo Neruda
  5. Dreams
    Langston Hughes
  6. Annabel Lee
    Edgar Allan Poe
  7. If
    Rudyard Kipling
  8. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
    Maya Angelou
  9. A Dream Within A Dream
    Edgar Allan Poe
  10. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
    Robert Frost
The Complete List of Top 500 Poems »
[Hata Bildir]