For the Beauty of the Earth

I grew up in a Methodist family and attended church every Sunday, except the days I feigned illness in order to stay home and go fishing. My favorite hymn was and still is "For the Beauty of the Earth", a poem written by 29 year old Folliotte Pierpoint, first published in 1864. It is said he was mesmerized and inspired by the beautiful English countryside that surrounded him. The poem was later put to a tune called Dix, composed by Conrad Kocher, and the hymn was born.

I remember the first time I sang this song, I felt like I was transported to the top of a mountain overlooking a beautiful valley. Poetry does that to me, more so than stories. I love to read them and I love to write them. Musical words that take my hand and lead me to places I didn't know existed. I'd like to share this beautiful poem with you in honor of Spring. I hope it moves you as it did me.

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flow'r

Sun and Moon and stars of light

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child.

Friends on earth and friends above

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

For each perfect gift of Thine

To our race so freely given.

Graces human and divine

Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n.