For that which is Common by Ruth Collie
"For That Which Is Common" is a devotional hymn of gratitude by Ruth Collie, structured as a litany that repeats its central refrain — "For that which is common, be praised, O Lord!" — after each cluster of blessings enumerated. Rather than petitioning God for extraordinary favors or miracles, the poem inverts the conventional posture of prayer by directing praise toward the ordinary, overlooked textures of daily existence: sunlight and the crispness of morning air, mist, the grey hush of an overcast sky, the night sky's stars, the simple satisfaction of labor undertaken willingly, and the quiet strength of love's bond. Each stanza builds a catalog of small mercies — the clasp of a friend's hand, the skill of fingers that craft and shape, the comfort of home at day's end, the peace that answers spiritual thirst, and even homely details like china and flowers on a table — all offered up as equally worthy of reverence as any grand or miraculous gift. The final movement of the poem widens its scope to the sounds and rhythms of human life across generations: the unguarded laughter of children at play, the renewed lightness of adults whose hearts remain youthful, the alternating "hillocks and valleys" that mark the brief span of a single day (and, by extension, of life itself), the gift of speech and a gentle tongue, and the intrinsic reward found in serving others. Formally, the poem relies on anaphora — the repeated "For..." construction — to create a cumulative, incantatory rhythm reminiscent of psalms or liturgical prayer, while the refrain functions as both punctuation and thesis: gratitude need not wait for the exceptional, because the common itself is sacred. Collie's theology here is one of immanence rather than transcendence — divinity is located not in rupture from ordinary life but within its fabric, in sensory experience (sun, mist, stars), in human relationship (friendship, love, family laughter), in labor and craft, and in the ethic of service. The poem's cumulative structure — moving from nature, to human touch and domestic comfort, to voice and joyful service — suggests a progression from the physical world inward toward human connection and finally toward moral action, with each register treated as equally deserving of praise. The recurring refrain also gives the piece a communal, singable quality, suggesting its likely use or adaptability as a hymn or recitation piece emphasizing thankfulness for everyday grace rather than dramatic providence.
By Ruth Collie · First published 1927 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Devotional Literature, Lyric Poetry · 227 words
First lines
"For that which is common, be praised, O Lord! " For sun and the tang / in the morning air. For mist and the grey of a soothing sky. For / night and the stars within her hair. For work and the joy in the / will to try. For love and its binding silken cord -- for that which is / common, be praised, O Lord! For hands and their clasp of friend with / friend. For clever fingers that mould and make; for home and its / rest at the day's long end, for Peace that the thirsty soul doth / slake, for china and flowers and homely board -- for that which is / common, be praised, O Lord. For laughter of children absorbed in / play, for laughter of adults whose hearts are young, for the hillocks / and valleys of life's short day, for gift of speech and the gentle / tongue, for love of service, its own reward -- for that which is / common, be praised, O Lord.
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The poem is structured as a prayer with explicit religious devotion, addressing God directly and seeking divine praise for ordinary blessings through the refrain 'for that which is common, be praised, O Lord!'
- Devotional Literature — The work functions as devotional verse dedicated to thanking and praising God for everyday mercies, creating a meditative spiritual experience centered on gratitude.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotion and reflection with musicality, using rhythmic language and emotional intensity to convey the speaker's appreciation for life's simple pleasures.
- Spiritual Poetry — It explores transcendent themes and spiritual awakening through the recognition of divine presence and meaning in everyday experiences and objects.
Tags
poetry · New Zealand literature · twentieth-century literature · lyric poetry · nature · rural life · landscape · everyday life · spirituality · love · loss · memory
What this Textopian page supports
For that which is Common is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ruth Collie, dated 1927 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ruth Collie
- Date: 1927 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Devotional Literature, Lyric Poetry, Spiritual Poetry, Christian Poetry
- Length: 227 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for For that which is Common by Ruth Collie
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph