Thompson, Francis (1859-1907), was an English poet whose emotional poems reflect his intense Roman Catholic faith. His most famous work is “The Hound of Heaven” (1893). This poem represents Jesus Christ as a kind hunter who pursues and finally captures the fleeing soul of the poet. Thompson’s intensity and bold imagery are closer to the poets of the 1600’s than to those of his own time. Thompson also became noted for his prose writings, especially his literary criticism.
Francis Joseph Thompson was born on Dec. 18, 1859, in Preston. At the age of 11, he began studying to become a priest but stopped his training six years later. His parents then expected him to become a doctor like his father, but Thompson disliked medical school and gave up medicine for poetry. He cut himself off from his family and settled in London in 1885. There he suffered from illness and extreme poverty and eventually became addicted to opium. He was befriended by the writers Alice and Wilfred Meynell, who helped him overcome his addiction. He died on Nov. 13, 1907.
