Tag Archives: God

From a Discarded Post II

“So what is the divine?  First, it is in us and not outside of us.  All searching for the divine out there leads to dead ends, unless that searching corresponds to some inner searching.  There are many, many scapes and … Continue reading

Posted in Commonplaces & Other Miracles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On an “Original Relation to the Universe”

“Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe?” –from Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson On a short walk this morning†, I noticed that ghostly day-moon above me and began to think of those wonderful Stevens’ poems, where … Continue reading

Posted in Choosings & Leavings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Humility & Poetry

Eliot says that humility is endless.  And Thoreau says that “humility like darkness reveals the heavenly lights.”  But I’ve been thinking lately about a book called The Wisdom of the Desert, translated by Thomas Merton, which is a compendium of meditations, lessons … Continue reading

Posted in Starting from Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In the Highest Limb, Satisfied

My thoughts these days have revolved around prayer rather than poetry.  For me these two aren’t so far apart.  Many of the poems I have written are more prayer than poem, as far as I’m concerned anyway, especially if the aim … Continue reading

Posted in Starting from Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Poetic Insight

I listened to a good friend and a fine poet lecture on teaching writing a few weeks ago.  I was impressed especially by how she goes about teaching.  Her pedagogy is very similar to mine, and I chalk that up … Continue reading

Posted in Starting from Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dead Don’t Sing

I was feeling pretty awful the other day.  It was the 17th.  I know that because I picked up my Book of Common Prayer, turned to the psalm reading in the psalter for the 17th day, and read psalm 88. … Continue reading

Posted in Starting from Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Noli Me Tangere

Our conceptions of God and God are not the same thing. This is why, for me, poetry surpasses religion in the knowing of God, because poetry looks to discard the concepts that don’t work to discover and embrace the ones … Continue reading

Posted in Starting from Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment