The verb “to father” applies in two different ways here. God “fathers” the dappled things in the role of creator. The construction “fathers-forth” adds the connotation of continued stewardship: God protects the dappled things as he sends them into the world. Hopkins’s verb choice alludes to God’s status as the “father” in the Christian Holy Trinity.
“Dappled things” refers to all things dotted, spotted, speckled, freckled, or mottled. The subsequent series of images shows numerous examples of dappled things in nature and culture. The deeper theme Hopkins explores is the great beauty of imperfection. The poem’s ethos embraces the messiness of the world.
