What churches, prisons, feudal pyramids Possess in common is Authority. Only the state’s power, not the State, exists, And power is exchanged through you and me. Our eyes, transfixed by prison walls, confuse The institution with the power it holds Mixing correct use up with the abuse And sovereign love with the despot who scolds.Continue reading “Immanence”
Tag Archives: God
Creator’s Sabbath
Today’s poem comes with acknowledgement to Professor John Walton, whose teaching on Genesis 1 and the meaning of God resting on the seventh day completely turned my thinking on its head – in a wonderful way. Creator’s Sabbath Do you suppose He rested because the six days’ labour had worn Him out,Continue reading “Creator’s Sabbath”
Numbering Days (After Marianne Moore’s “What are Years?”)
Today’s poem – my last one responding to Marianne Moore – is inspired by her great reflection on mortality and eternity, “What are Years?” It was the first of her poems that I ever read, back when I was studying poetry in the fourth year of my Literature degree, and I still remember the impactContinue reading “Numbering Days (After Marianne Moore’s “What are Years?”)”
Theology Part 4: Psalm
God, my love is vapour, my heart’s dust. I pass and fade like dew, like day; I tremble like the dawn. God, my all is empty, I have no grace to give my neighbour or give You. SoContinue reading “Theology Part 4: Psalm”
Theology Part 2: Resolution
…love to one’s neighbour is not to be sung about – it is to be fulfilled in reality. Even if there were nothing else to hinder the poet from artistically celebrating love to one’s neighbour in song, it is quite enough that with invisible letters behind every word in Holy Scripture a disturbing notice confrontsContinue reading “Theology Part 2: Resolution”
Lines of Flight
No root, no trunk, no stem, only these weeds; No path to travel, only lines of flight. No start, no finish, unity or seed, Only these thoughts that twist and turn, alight. And when the course is twisted and the root Cannot be simplified, then who are we? We are creators and Creation’s fruit, WeContinue reading “Lines of Flight”
Theology Part 1: Acknowledgement
First of all, acknowledge Him; know that all good comes from Him. The sun, the moon are His lamp-shades, the sea His pool, the skies His chair. Health and growth and happiness: these are from Him; He made them. Relationships, prosperity: all good comes from Him. Rain to make the soil soft, sunlight so thatContinue reading “Theology Part 1: Acknowledgement”
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”
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”
The Fledgling (After George MacDonald’s “Diary of an Old Soul”)
One of the most powerful and touching works that George MacDonald wrote, although also one of his least known, is his sequence of poems entitled, a little awkwardly, “A Book of Strife in the Form of the Diary of an Old Soul”. The book includes a poem for each day of the year, each oneContinue reading “The Fledgling (After George MacDonald’s “Diary of an Old Soul”)”
The Consolations of Writing 