Grace – Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings

Immensity

I turn today to John Donne (1573-1631) and his poem Annunciation which is the second of seven sonnets under the title La Corona – yes Corona (Crown) a term we lived with for the best part of three years and sadly some continue to live with the mark of the Corona Virus. Donne uses theContinue reading “Immensity”

92 Counties!

I know you were not expecting this but to be honest neither was I. As I turned through the pages of Carol Ann Duffy’s Collected poems I found her poem Counties amusing. Now to further complicate things I will introduce you to Munro-Bagging – climbing hills in Scotland over 3000ft. – named after Sir Hugh MunroContinue reading “92 Counties!”

Emptying

The spontaneous ceasefire on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1914 came about as British, Belgian, and French soldiers put down their weapons and climbed out of their trenches and joined with German soldiers singing Silent Night Holy Night! A moment of palpable peace in the madness of war, a glimmer of grace amidst the gruesomeContinue reading “Emptying”

Moments of Grace

The poem Moments of Grace by Carol Ann Duffy is one can we can reflect upon for hours upon hours. Duffy’s gift of words and images is a feast, and like all feasts we ought to eat slowly and enjoy every course and every taste. I feel there is so much in this poem thatContinue reading “Moments of Grace”

Statistics!

2022 has begun the same way as 2021 ended, the evening news being full of statistics, Covid-19 statistics, infection rates, hospital numbers! On and on it goes! Statistics and data, though important do not tell the whole story. None of us wish to become a statistic! The Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska, from whom I haveContinue reading “Statistics!”