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The poem, 'Easter Communion' has been written in sonnet form and is rich in its text as well as meaning. GM Hopkins was a teacher of Christianity and highly influenced by the gospel (something evident in his poems). His language is archaic and he mainly used words of regional origin. The important fact about his poems is that they all are rich in use of alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia and rhyme. His rhyming scheme is perfect. In this poem, he has used his poetic style of sprung rhythm beautifully, to demonstrate the immanence of God.
Easter Communion
Pure fasted faces draw unto this feast:
God comes all sweetness to your Lenten lips.
You striped in secret with breath-taking whips,
Those crooked rough-scored chequers may be pieced
To crosses meant for Jesu's; you whom the East
With draught of thin and pursuant cold so nips
Breathe Easter now; you serged fellowships,
You vigil-keepers with low flames decreased,
God shall o'er-brim the measures you have spent
With oil of gladness, for sackcloth and frieze
And the ever-fretting shirt of punishment
Give myrrhy-threaded golden folds of ease.
Your scarce-sheathed bones are weary of being bent:
Lo, God shall strengthen all the feeble knees
