At some point in our lives, most of us have felt lost/confused, due to failure, feeling like an “outsider”, or a disappointment; and most of us have battled some sort of addiction. Francis Thompson, the “Ne’er Do Well” and “misfit poet” experienced it all to a staggering degree, and unintentionally caused his family, a great deal of stress and heartache, and disappointment. Dr. Beth shares his story in this episode, explaining that it’s one of the most touching and compelling stories she’s ever heard. His story is timeless and relatable, even though he lived from 1859-1907. As a young child, he was drawn to reading and writing, but his family encouraged him to pursue other studies and occupations. He was brilliant (scoring at the top of his class) in some subjects (like writing) and at the bottom of his class in other areas. He was viewed as odd and “Mooney” at school. After being rejected at seminary, failing three rounds of exams at medical school, being refused in the military, Thompson moved to London England to pursue writing, with his parents reluctant approval. Little did he know that “a life of destitution awaited him”. He was unable succeed in any of his odd jobs and he ended up homeless and addicted to opium for three years. He continued writing during these years and submitted his writing on dirty and crinkled paper, to the owner of a literary magazine (Wilfrid Meynell), who was eventually able to locate him and help rehabilitate him, although he was on the brink of death. His most famous poem “The Hound of Heaven” (written while he was being rehabilitated for his opium addiction) has been a source of inspiration for over 130 years. This redemptive poem has been taught in university classrooms worldwide and impacted countless people, including literary giants and heroes such as JRR Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, Eugene O’Neill, Madeline L’Engle, and Dorothy Day. this poem is autobiographical and depicts God as the Hound of Heaven who never gives up pursuing our souls.
Listen to the poem HERE
This “ne’er do well misfit” poet’s work has been compared to the likes of Shakespeare and Robert Browning. His poem echoes sentiments from Psalms 139:7-12
and the story of the Good Shepherd (Matthew 18:10-14) who never gives up rescuing the one sheep who is lost.
To learn more about Francis Thompsons story, check out the following articles and documentaries.
Documentary abut Francis Thompsons
Article on Wikipedia and Natcath
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