O Thou My Friend

"Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend
With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.
Why do sinner's ways prosper? and why must
Disappointment all I endeavour end?
Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend,
How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, thou dost
Defeat, thwart me? Oh, the sots and thralls of lust
Do in spare hours more thrive than I that spend,
Sir, life upon thy cause. See, banks and brakes
Now, leaved how thick! Laced they are again
With fretty chervil, look, and fresh wind shakes
Them; birds build - but not I build; no, but strain,
Time's eunuch, and not breed one work that wakes. Mine, O thou Lord of life, send my roots rain."

- Gerard Manley Hopkins

I appreciate the honesty and boldness of this poet in his communication with God. Jeremiah, Job, St Teresa of Avila, are among others who have spoken to God in this way and not been rejected for doing so.

The chief complaint of the speaker in the poem seems to be that his celibacy (because he was a Roman Catholic priest) means that he will literally never breed offspring.

With this in mind I chose this photo of D with one of his "offspring" - granddaughter Zoe. She loves her grandad!