Prayer – Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings

“Things fall apart.”

I may be on the edge of copyright law, but I could not resist this recent cartoon in The New Yorker Magazine! These lines (save but the last three words above) I have used many times, over my 40 years of ministry. They come from W.B Yeats’ poem written in 1919 in the aftermath ofContinue reading ““Things fall apart.””

“Washing away all the lines”

If only we could enjoy the beauty of the earth, land and ocean, without borders. These manmade lines somehow demarcate what is home and what is foreign. I love Luci Shaw’s poem Cosmos which dreams of a seamless world and imagines the rain washing away all the lines we have drawn and redrawn over theContinue reading ““Washing away all the lines””

Scalpay – Outer Hebrides

A HIGH BLUE DAY ON SCALPAYThis is the summit of contemplation, and no art can touch itblue, so blue, the far-out archipelago and the sea shimmering, shimmeringno art can touch it, the mind can only try to become attuned to it to become quiet and space itself out, to become open and still, unworldedknowing itselfContinue reading “Scalpay – Outer Hebrides”

“It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon-“

The words above “It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon-” seemed to shout to me this morning as I turned a few pages. They come from the middle of a poem by Philip Larkin entitled Coming. The poem itself doesn’t say much about spring or hope so I will settle for theseContinue reading ““It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon-“”

“For years I counted hugs.”

I could not imagine an Advent season without T.S. Eliot’s poem – The Journey of the Magi Please take a moment to delight in Eliot’s poem and ponder the Wisemen’s question – were we led all that way for Birth or Death? The poem is long so I shall be brief. Perhaps what was travellingContinue reading ““For years I counted hugs.””

Skimming Stones!

We have all tried it! The wonder and the magic of being able to skim a stone across a smooth body of water has occupied many a summer hour. One, two, three skips or even four, make us feel like a champion. I was surprised to learn that there is indeed a World Championship forContinue reading “Skimming Stones!”

Suddenly

We lie back to back. Curtains lift and fall, like the chest of someone sleeping. Wind moves the leaves of the box elder; they show their light undersides, turning all at once like a school of fish. Suddenly I understand that I am happy. For months this feeling has been coming closer, stopping for shortContinue reading “Suddenly”

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”

When the folks have gone.

The poet and priest, the late R.S. Thomas is a favorite of mine. His strong faith and his honest doubt, shape many of his poems. What does happen when the folks have gone, and dust settles on the empty church with only the priest remaining to clear up, to pause and perhaps even to pray?Continue reading “When the folks have gone.”

An unusual Alpinist

Today, I share with you a poem by Gregory Djanikian. In his words I feel the love and care he has for his elderly mother and for the reverence he has for every breath of life. For some who have had the opportunity of watching the Netflix documentary “The Alpinist” you might find the comparisonContinue reading “An unusual Alpinist”