Pied Beauty

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 áll trádes, 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.

                                    -- Gerard Manley Hopkins 1877-1918

Psa. 148:1    Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
 
3    Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
 
5    Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
 
7    Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
 
9    Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
 
11    Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
 
13    Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!

Today's poetry, whether in the words of Hopkins or in the poetry of the Book of Psalms, is a simple call to praise for God the Creator.  Hopkins works through his enchantment with the pied beauty of our world.  I am struck by the patient and thorough way that Psalm invites creation to return its attention to it Creator.  Not just people, but animals, and plants, earth and sky.

Let us be ready to turn out attention to God in thanksgiving for the wonders of creation, pied beauty, created order, and all!