Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The Difference a Day Can Make - March 26 2024 - SOLSC24

 

Yesterday evening during journal club, I shared my experience of struggling to understand some of the poetry I read.

In fact, I wrote this in my journal: 

"I am currently reading two poetry books, The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal by James Crews and One Last Word by Nikki Grimes. I so wish I understood or had some reaction, but I [often] don't. I love writing poetry, I guess my non-analytical mind can't wrap itself around someone else's poetry. I won't give up though; I'll keep reading and trying to find meaning in it for myself." 

After receiving some encouraging words, and kudos for choosing to not give up on reading poetry, I reread the first couple of poems in The Wonder of Small Things this morning. 

I was instantly moved by these lines written by Wendell Berry (The Peace of Wild Things):

"I come into the peace of wild things 
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water
...
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free"

These words remind me of coming into the peace of the Almighty who leads me beside still waters, whose grace is not of this world, but because of His grace I am free. 

Thank you M. for sharing how the imagery of poetry sometimes makes you think of Scripture. My non-analytical brain definitely wrapped itself around this words, and there was a reaction.


2 comments:

  1. I love poetry. I don't always get it, but I just move on, until I find something that speaks to me. I like the spiritual connections you made to Berry's poem. It's one of my favorites. I've read several of James Crews' anthologies, but don't have this one.

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  2. Thanks for sharing your spiritual connection. I agree, that part of the poem has a real connection with Psalm 23.

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