Hopkins's Struggle

Throughout his life, Hopkins struggled to find his audience in the world of poetry. He even commented on this to his friend, Robert Bridges, and admitted this his poetry "'errs on the side of oddness'" (page 774). However, Hopkins's poetry became immensely popular after his death. Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, one of his final poems, reflects this frustration and resulting depression that haunted him; in this poem, he asserts that while God is just, why He would seemingly prevent Hopkins from happiness.

"Why do sinners' ways prospers? and why must
Disappointment all I endeavor end?" (page 778, lines 3-4)

Here, Hopkins blatantly asks why all his endeavors are unsuccessful, suggesting Hopkins's quest to find and--in his own words--"convert" his audience (page 774). He follows this question with an assertion that

"Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend,
How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, than thou dost
Defeat, thwart me?" (page 778, lines 5-7).

Again, Hopkins asserts that there is no other way to "thwart" him other than preventing him from his writings. Hopkins also gives a wonderful description of what he views as his trials in writing,

"See, banks and brakes
Now, leaved how thick! laced they are again
With fretty chervil, look, and fresh wind shakes
Them" (page 778, lines 9-12).

This excerpt here gives a wonderful image of thickets (brakes), full of leaves, twisted and coiled into an insurmountable tangle. This again reflects and suggests Hopkins struggle to find a poetic audience. Hopkins finishes his poem with what I think is the most convincing argument that this poem reflects his personal struggle:

"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."

In this passage, Hopkins asserts that, unlike the birds, he does not build--he does not and has not produced a work that awakens his audience. This, unfortunately for the frustrated Hopkins, would not occur until after his death.

Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord also reflects his religiousness, with a prayer-like tone (his word choice in "thou," "just," "sinners," etc.) and style to the poem. He begins the poem with the confirmation that God is just, and that while Hopkins is not questioning God's will, does pose the question as to why he cannot find what he seeks (a poetic audience). He ends the poem with the request that God send him inspiration.