--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers…" description: "\"“As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg" --- # As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire… ![“As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out that being…” quote by Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg) > ““As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; Selves -- goes itself; \_myself\_ it speaks and spells, Crying \_What I do is me: for that I came\_. I say more: the just man justices; Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces; Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is -- Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places, Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his To the Father through the features of men's faces.”” [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem celebrates the divine spark in all living things, likening natural phenomena to spiritual truth and suggesting that each creature reflects God’s grace. **In simple terms:** Nature mirrors divine purpose; each being shows God’s grace. Key Takeaway Recognize the sacred in everyday life. Themes spirituality nature divine identity Mood awe contemplative inspired Type poetic theological reflective When to use this quote - contemplating nature - writing poetry - teaching literature - personal meditation - artistic inspiration Key Concepts theology metaphor poetic imagination Questions to Reflect On - How does observing nature reveal spiritual truths? - In what ways can we see ourselves in the natural world? A Different Perspective The abstract language may obscure practical application for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-god-2122897/) [Christ Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-plays-5117419/) [Eye Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-christ-5117420/) [God's Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-eye/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Kingfishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingfishers-516547/) ## Related quotes > [For Christ plays in ten thousand places,/ Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his/ To the Father through the features of men’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/for-christ-plays-in-ten-thousand-places-lovely-in-limbs-and-lovely-in/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/as-kingfishers-catch-fire-dragonflies-draw-flame/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Faith is seated in the understanding as well as in the will. It has an eye to see Christ as well as a wing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson/faith-is-seated-in-the-understanding-as-well-as-in-the-will-it-has-an/) [Richard Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson/) > [If the Halcyon days of a Mediterranean winter, god-blessed, were good enough for sublime kingfishers they should certainly have something to offer us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/if-the-halcyon-days-of-a-mediterranean-winter-god-blessed-were-good/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [“Friend who has fired the kingfishers and flamed the dragonflies – they catch your light however they move and beam it out of their eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryana-johnson/friend-who-has-fired-the-kingfishers-and-flamed-the-dragonflies-they/) [Bryana Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryana-johnson/) > [Imperialism is a negation of God. It does ungodly acts in the name of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/imperialism-is-a-negation-of-god-it-does-ungodly-acts-in-the-name-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When we suffer, it is because of our own acts; God is not to be blamed for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/when-we-suffer-it-is-because-of-our-own-acts-god-is-not-to-be-blamed/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [From time to time there are going to be things that occur that are acts of God that cannot be prevented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/from-time-to-time-there-are-going-to-be-things-that-occur-that-are/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [If we rejoice in the acts of God without discovering His ways, we'll question who He is when He doesn't do what we've asked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/if-we-rejoice-in-the-acts-of-god-without-discovering-his-ways-we-ll/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Immediate are the acts of God, more swift than time or motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/immediate-are-the-acts-of-god-more-swift-than-time-or-motion/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Accidents and acts of God don’t mean a thing, unless they’re followed later by acts of will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/accidents-and-acts-of-god-don-t-mean-a-thing-unless-they-re-followed/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [As man acts, God reacts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/as-man-acts-god-reacts/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [My friends, let us try to follow the Saviour's steps; let us remember all day long what it is to be men; that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/my-friends-let-us-try-to-follow-the-saviour-s-steps-let-us-remember/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [When God says YES, nobody can say no. It does not take God 24hrs to change a man's story. Mordecai was a gate man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akaro/when-god-says-yes-nobody-can-say-no-it-does-not-take-god-24hrs-to/) [Akaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akaro/) > [What I get from my study of the Bible is that we're all in Christ, that we're all the same in God's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/what-i-get-from-my-study-of-the-bible-is-that-we-re-all-in-christ/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) ## More by Gerard Manley Hopkins > [No wonder of it: sheer plod makes plough down sillion Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear, Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/no-wonder-of-it-sheer-plod-makes-plough-down-sillion-shine-and-blue/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap May who ne'er hung there. Nor does long our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/o-the-mind-mind-has-mountains-cliffs-of-fall-frightful-sheer-no-man/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Do you know, a horrible thing has happened to me. I have begun to doubt Tennyson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/do-you-know-a-horrible-thing-has-happened-to-me-i-have-begun-to-doubt/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Time has three dimensions and one positive pitch or direction. It is therefore not so much like any river or any sea as like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/time-has-three-dimensions-and-one-positive-pitch-or-direction-it-is/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [And though we do have him before our eyes, masked in the Sacred Host, at mass and Benediction and within our lips receive him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/and-though-we-do-have-him-before-our-eyes-masked-in-the-sacred-host/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [The effect of studying masterpieces is to make me admire and do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/the-effect-of-studying-masterpieces-is-to-make-me-admire-and-do/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [I always knew in my heart Walt Whitman's mind to be more like my own than any other man's living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/i-always-knew-in-my-heart-walt-whitman-s-mind-to-be-more-like-my-own/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [What is all this juice and all this joy? A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden.-Have, get, before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/what-is-all-this-juice-and-all-this-joy-a-strain-of-the-earth-s-sweet/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [It is not only prayer that gives God glory but work. Smitting on an anvil, sawing a beam, whitewashing a wall, driving horses, sweeping,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/it-is-not-only-prayer-that-gives-god-glory-but-work-smitting-on-an/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [“I awoke in the Midsummer not to call night, in the white and the walk of the morning: The moon, dwindled and thinned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/i-awoke-in-the-midsummer-not-to-call-night-in-the-white-and-the-walk/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [When I compare myself, my being-myself, with anything else whatever, all things alike, all in the same degree, rebuff me with blank unlikeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/when-i-compare-myself-my-being-myself-with-anything-else-whatever-all/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [All the world is full of inscapeand chance left free to act falls into an order as well as purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/all-the-world-is-full-of-inscapeand-chance-left-free-to-act-falls/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [“What would the world be, once bereft Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left, O let them be left, wildness and wet;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/what-would-the-world-be-once-bereft-of-wet-and-of-wildness-let-them/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/the-world-is-charged-with-the-grandeur-of-god-it-will-flame-out-like/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [I think that the trivialness of life is, and personally to each one, ought to be seen to be, done away with by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/i-think-that-the-trivialness-of-life-is-and-personally-to-each-one/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) [Explore all 109 Gerard Manley Hopkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) ## More Grace quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“God reproduces and lives out His image in millions of ordinary people like us. It is a supreme mystery. We are called to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-reproduces-and-lives-out-his-image-in-millions-of-ordinary-people/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace is upside-down, to-do-list wrecking, scandalous and way-too free. It's one-way love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/grace-is-upside-down-to-do-list-wrecking-scandalous-and-way-too-free/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Browse all 6,886 Grace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; Selves -- goes itself; _myself_ it speaks and spells, Crying _What I do is me: for that I came_. I say more: the just man justices; Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces; Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is -- Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places, Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his To the Father through the features of men's faces.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gerard Manley Hopkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers-catch-fire-dragonflies-draw/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grace" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers-catch-fire-dragonflies-draw/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/gerard-manley-hopkins-4543_grace_as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers_636216.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy…” — Gerard Manley Hopkins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gerard Manley Hopkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers-catch-fire-dragonflies-draw/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/as-kingfishers-catch-fire-as-kingfishers-catch-fire-dragonflies-draw/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```