http://nystromkw.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/the-child-is-father-to-the-man/ Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:14:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://nystromkw.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/the-child-is-father-to-the-man/#comment-30 kate863 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:20:51 +0000 http://nystromkw.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-30 Its a joke pertaining to a Wordsworth poem about the immortality of childhood. Wordsworth wrote a poem called "My Heart Leaps Up" in which he states "the child is father to the man." He is making the point that children are far more in touch with their immortality than adults--that they are in a way smarter than adults. Hopkins is responding to it to make fun of close mindedness I think. Its a joke pertaining to a Wordsworth poem about the immortality of childhood. Wordsworth wrote a poem called “My Heart Leaps Up” in which he states “the child is father to the man.” He is making the point that children are far more in touch with their immortality than adults–that they are in a way smarter than adults. Hopkins is responding to it to make fun of close mindedness I think.

]]> http://nystromkw.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/the-child-is-father-to-the-man/#comment-28 wanderinginwonder Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:17:45 +0000 http://nystromkw.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-28 hmm. interesting... I wonder if (whatever Hopkins meant!), there's something in there about all that we lose as we get older and assume we're now 'grown up'. Perhaps we would have something to learn from even our own selves as children - innocence perhaps, simple fun, trust, instinct (idyllic ideals of childhood, I'll grant you!!). Something about Jesus' 'unless you come as a little child' stuff? hmm. interesting… I wonder if (whatever Hopkins meant!), there’s something in there about all that we lose as we get older and assume we’re now ‘grown up’. Perhaps we would have something to learn from even our own selves as children – innocence perhaps, simple fun, trust, instinct (idyllic ideals of childhood, I’ll grant you!!).
Something about Jesus’ ‘unless you come as a little child’ stuff?

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