Wednesday, April 15, 2015

gladden


This word came to me as my heart felt 
a bit gladdened.

from the 1828 dictionary which includes a sentence: 

GLAD'DEN, v.t. glad'n. To make glad; to cheer; to please; to exhilarate. The news of peace gladdens our hearts.
Churches will every where gladden his eye, and hymns of praise vibrate upon his ear.

GLAD'DEN, v.i. glad'n. To become glad; to rejoice.
So shall your country ever gladden at the sound of your voice.

from the Etymology dictionary: c. 1300, "to be glad;"

There is your English lesson! 
It is raining outside. All afternoon there has been a hum of rain falling.
I can't remember when the world was brown. Totally green now. 
Thinking upon the word : gladden


 owls and elderberries tumblr
overwrought pink cherry sunset by amy buxton on Flickr.



Spring

BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –         
   When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;         
   Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush         
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring         
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
   The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush         
   The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush         
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.         

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 it cloy,         
   Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,         
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,         
   Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.         

2 comments:

Unknown said...

"Glad" is everywhere when I read Psalms, I love it.

Come Away With Me said...

"Gladden" ~ a wonderful word. There's a line in an Orthodox prayer I know that says to the Lord "You have gladdened my heart with the knowledge of truth." GMH's poem gladdens my heart also!