March 2023 – Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings

Imagin’d Corners!

John Donne (1573-1631) died on March 31st 1631 – a mere 392 years ago at the age of 58. None of his poetry was published until after his death. A large part of his life was lived consumed by his own thoughts of mortality and death. The last 10 years of his life he wasContinue reading “Imagin’d Corners!”

It’s a long way off, but

The KingdomIt’s a long way off but inside itThere are quite different things going on:Festivals at which the poor manIs king and the consumptive isHealed; mirrors in which the blind lookAt themselves and love looks at themBack; and industry is for mendingThe bent bones and the minds fractured By life. It’s a long way off, butContinue reading “It’s a long way off, but”

“Fluttering and dancing in the breeze”

It is once again that wonderful time of year when daffodils abound. The photo above is Ullswater Lake in the Lake District in northern England. It was while walking home to Grasmere along with his sister Dorothy that William Wordsworth enjoyed a host of golden daffodils. In fact it is Dorothy who writes in herContinue reading ““Fluttering and dancing in the breeze””

Slow Pilgrim

There are just too many poems in Scott Cairn’s book Slow Pilgrim published in 2015 by Paraclete Press, that I would love to share. Today, I will share two. I am conscious that in the Christian calendar we find ourselves almost half way through the season of Lent. It’s a long journey from Ash WednesdayContinue reading “Slow Pilgrim”

A man from Porlock?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s two most famous poems are without doubt – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan. The former, my all time favorite about which I could write at length. However such a poem is far to long to place in these blogs, so I will settle for Kubla Khan. While readingContinue reading “A man from Porlock?”

Stuff!

This is not my attic! One good result in moving homes as many times as I have, is that I have had to shed some stuff with each move! However, like a dog shedding hair, more seems to grow! So after 10 moves I still have a basement of stuff! Way too much stuff! IContinue reading “Stuff!”