Lent Always Takes Us
- Arts & Literature
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2019
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Publisher's Description
The whole of our lives are a sort of glorious Lent. And so it is in these poems. Most of this book borrows from Bly, who in his poems beautifully turns the Islamic ghazal form to his own ends. These poems, though, try to give all the glory to Jesus Christ, who is the reason why we live and breathe. So often, it seems, contemporary Catholic poets are afraid to give up a secular perspective. This is odd, really, since that point of view will not take us into heaven. In any case, may our Lord forgive us all our stupidity and sins; may the Holy Spirit help us to walk and talk with Jesus, who is Life itself.
Endorsements (3)
“David Craig’s poetry takes you on a journey from the deepest, most solemn experiences of Christian spirituality to the precious, everyday moments of life whose vitality and poignancy we so often miss. There is the presence of the mystic in Craig’s voice. His poetry stirs the mind to awaken to the sacredness of the present moment while not downplaying the rawness of the human experience. The power of language and its sublime ability to elevate our souls to an intimate awareness of personal struggle, spiritual understanding, and aesthetical appreciation, pervades this rich and beautiful collection.”
“This volume of verse, forged in the furnace of the poet's love for both Creator and creatures, is a challenging mystery, a hill or a mountain to be climbed, line by line. . . . It speaks of things beyond our ken and beyond our reach, of the quest for the holy grail, of heavenly desires in earthen vessels.”
“In this series, Craig illuminates our most profound feelings of fear of abandonment at the hour of our death: ‘there was nowhere else to turn. / There never had been.’ Even God cannot take our physical death from us. We are like the apostles after Jesus's death, who ‘had to face the truth, who they were / without Him.’ In Ignatian fashion, Craig the Apostle appears to accept his death: ‘If He wants me to die, I'll die.’ Yet he does not take eternal life for granted, ‘He's always come, though today might be different,’ while Craig the Poet reminds us, ‘We sing because something in us won't give up.’ We will not be paralyzed by fear of death.”
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