not to win the dash and charm the crowd nor gain a victor’s kiss, not that you may save yourself from lonely night on lonely night: not for all of this. Nor that passers-by may give you love Continue reading “You shall love”
Category Archives: Devotional
Instinct (After Marianne Moore’s “Melanchthon”)
Today’s poem was a difficult one to write. Enchanted as I am by Marianne Moore’s work, she is a tough poet to imitate, tougher still to understand. But I have given it my best shot! Fascinated by animals, human nature and the poetic contrasts and parallels between the two, many of Moore’s poems deal withContinue reading “Instinct (After Marianne Moore’s “Melanchthon”)”
Creation
What does it mean for humans to create? This is a question that has always been important to me, as a creative person. But as I have delved further into my Masters degree, much of which is concerned with the role of creativity in education, it has become something I have pondered more and more.Continue reading “Creation”
“For he taught them as one who had authority”
The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing. (Archilochus) The authority of the fox runs in many directions; centrifugal, it leaves the burrow with cunning, while the hedgehog burrows centripetally, knowing one thing and knowing it deep. And the scribes and the Pharisees, burrowing law, are amazed to see one whoContinue reading ““For he taught them as one who had authority””
“The invisible things of him”
Well, it’s hard to believe, but this is apparently my 500th post here at The Consolations of Writing. It’s been quite an amazing couple of years since I set up this site, and I’m very grateful to have wonderful readers to share it with. Today’s poem comes out of a Bible study that I amContinue reading ““The invisible things of him””
Adam’s Hymn
It shouldn’t be a surprise to any of my regular readers that I love the hymns of John Newton and William Cowper. Some of you will also know that, for the last eighteen or so months I have been working through a number of their hymns, setting them to new tunes of my own. TonightContinue reading “Adam’s Hymn”
Of the People (After Marianne Moore’s “In Distrust of Merits”)
Well, having written a silly poem about the democratic process this morning I am now writing a serious one, in response to one of Marianne Moore’s most magnificent poems, “In Distrust of Merits“. A critique of war-mongering, it is easily one of the finest poems of the 20th century. I’m a little wary of puttingContinue reading “Of the People (After Marianne Moore’s “In Distrust of Merits”)”
At the First Dawn of Brightness (After Marianne Moore’s “In the Days of Prismatic Colour”)
Marianne Moore is both an intriguing and a daunting poet to imitate. Her poems, visually and linguistically, dance in complexity and variety, and her subject matter is often both fascinating and impenetrable. Today’s poem is based on “In the Days of Prismatic Colour“, a wonderful meditation on Creation, complexity and simplicity. I offer it tentatively,Continue reading “At the First Dawn of Brightness (After Marianne Moore’s “In the Days of Prismatic Colour”)”
The Week of Cherry Blossoms
Today is something of an anniversary for me. Seven years ago, on this day, I wrote my first adult poem. I remember this because it was the last day of winter, and unusually warm. The poem was about a new crush after a long relationship had ended. I’m sure it would be highly embarrassing toContinue reading “The Week of Cherry Blossoms”
George MacDonald and the Regenerated Imagination
Well, our month of looking at George MacDonald is now finished, and to conclude it here is an essay I have written on MacDonald’s work. We have been focusing here through August on MacDonald’s poetry, but his work was far broader than that, so this essay considers not only his poetry but also his manyContinue reading “George MacDonald and the Regenerated Imagination”
The Consolations of Writing 