Thank you for the thought-provoking essay. This gave me a chance to slow down this morning and breathe in gratitude for God's deciding to make me a poet. Sometimes I wish he had gifted me with something more practical and lucrative, like, say, data analysis, but he knew what he was doing! I love the image of a poem as a tree rooted in two minds.
Thanks Tania for your thoughtful comment. Poetry is much closer to the language of our souls and the Holy Spirit than anything else, so I think it's good to value it.
I hope we can all keep seeking to plant trees in the minds of our readers.
Thank you for introducing me to "The Two-headed Calf." What a fascinating poem that really will stick with me. And this was a wonderful exploration of the lasting and yet ephemeral touch of a poem.
Oh I'm glad to be the introducer! It is a lovely, though-provoking poem that has stayed with me. I actually met a woman the other day, after I'd written this essay, who has the poem tattooed on her arm!
This is one of the best descriptions of what poetry *is*—to read it, to write it—that I've ever read. And thank you for introducing me to "The Two-Headed Calf!"
Thank you for this post. As a high school English teacher I stumbled through the teaching of poetry. Words like yours make me want to un-retire and try again. Bless you for this sharing
Very good piece here. Your choice of poems to help us see the tree you depicted were excellent. I think you describe a good poem well; if only I could grasp the magic ingredients and mixtures that make them.
Glad you enjoyed it Chuck. And we only get better at it by doing it, and also listening to feedback from people we respect and trust. At least, that's been my experience.
Love your point on how we can dream through the written work. It can almost feel wrong or scary as a writer to know that someone might draw a deeply personal meaning out of your work that’s different from what you were thinking, but it’s also such an amazing thing. It meets people where they are.
Yes good point! A different or unexpected interpretation of our words can be scary. But I prefer to see the positive side of readers finding new meanings and seeing how the tree grows and develops with each new reader.
An essay in poetry! What a gift you gave me, Mr. Kostas, with your insight. I'm particularly taken by your metaphor of the tree taking root in our beings (minds, hearts) as a result of mutual dreaming thanks to the poet author. You've made me want to dream more.
Thanks Wes, I'm glad the image of a tree that grows from the meeting of our two minds is something that resonates. It's the best picture I can think of for what I want to achieve in my poetry.
When a poem comes to you partly as a dream, or an image that fluttered into your mind from somewhere beyond, do you ever worry about where it came from? Whether, as a Christian, you can trust it? Asking for a friend, as they say.
A great question that I might not be qualified to answer! My view is that a poem will form itself as you write it, and then you have to discern if it's the kind of poem you want to share more widely, or what it's purpose is.
yes, good point - good old discernment again! Which suggests that it might sometimes be necessary to leave a beautiful, even enchanting poem safely in the notebook, if you’re a little suspicious of what its purpose might be! I think this comes back to the internal wrestling of the pagan and the Christian in me. I think Paul Kingsnorth wrote about this recently…..
Afternoon! :-) I think its related to those times when the inspiration feels a bit mystical (without hopefully sounding pretentious here), and I like the beauty or rock n’ roll of it, but I’m not sure if its pointing the right way, if that makes sense? But equally, I don’t want to sanitise or tame my writing, and lose the grit of real life. I’ve been thinking about the ‘Good, beautiful and true’ thing lately, maybe that’s a good filter to apply in the discernment that @A. A. Kostas suggests….
This is beautifully written. You capture so much of what draws me to poetry. Some of my favorite lines: "Poetry distills the essence of language, recreate the images and sensations that thoroughly affect us. It’s no wonder biblical writers returned again and again to poetry in their attempts to communicate spiritual principles. If you want to lead another person toward deep and arresting truths, and have those truths remain in their hearts, consider poetry."
Thank you for the thought-provoking essay. This gave me a chance to slow down this morning and breathe in gratitude for God's deciding to make me a poet. Sometimes I wish he had gifted me with something more practical and lucrative, like, say, data analysis, but he knew what he was doing! I love the image of a poem as a tree rooted in two minds.
Thanks Tania for your thoughtful comment. Poetry is much closer to the language of our souls and the Holy Spirit than anything else, so I think it's good to value it.
I hope we can all keep seeking to plant trees in the minds of our readers.
oh boy! — how this resonates!
Thank you for introducing me to "The Two-headed Calf." What a fascinating poem that really will stick with me. And this was a wonderful exploration of the lasting and yet ephemeral touch of a poem.
Oh I'm glad to be the introducer! It is a lovely, though-provoking poem that has stayed with me. I actually met a woman the other day, after I'd written this essay, who has the poem tattooed on her arm!
That's amazing!
What a gorgeous essay. I will be thinking about this one for a while.
Thank you Mark. Thought-provoking was what I was going for.
This is one of the best descriptions of what poetry *is*—to read it, to write it—that I've ever read. And thank you for introducing me to "The Two-Headed Calf!"
I'm glad you think so Aberdeen, this is what I hoped readers would connect with. And yes, it's a beautiful poem.
Thank you for this post. As a high school English teacher I stumbled through the teaching of poetry. Words like yours make me want to un-retire and try again. Bless you for this sharing
No worries Jane. I wish I'd had a high school English teacher with this level of passion!
Very good piece here. Your choice of poems to help us see the tree you depicted were excellent. I think you describe a good poem well; if only I could grasp the magic ingredients and mixtures that make them.
Glad you enjoyed it Chuck. And we only get better at it by doing it, and also listening to feedback from people we respect and trust. At least, that's been my experience.
Love your point on how we can dream through the written work. It can almost feel wrong or scary as a writer to know that someone might draw a deeply personal meaning out of your work that’s different from what you were thinking, but it’s also such an amazing thing. It meets people where they are.
Yes good point! A different or unexpected interpretation of our words can be scary. But I prefer to see the positive side of readers finding new meanings and seeing how the tree grows and develops with each new reader.
An essay in poetry! What a gift you gave me, Mr. Kostas, with your insight. I'm particularly taken by your metaphor of the tree taking root in our beings (minds, hearts) as a result of mutual dreaming thanks to the poet author. You've made me want to dream more.
Thanks Wes, I'm glad the image of a tree that grows from the meeting of our two minds is something that resonates. It's the best picture I can think of for what I want to achieve in my poetry.
Deep and lovely.
Thank you! Very kind
I was so drawn to your essay that I knew its import was to bring me back to my youthful love of poetry!
Yes! Poetry is the language of our youth.
When a poem comes to you partly as a dream, or an image that fluttered into your mind from somewhere beyond, do you ever worry about where it came from? Whether, as a Christian, you can trust it? Asking for a friend, as they say.
A great question that I might not be qualified to answer! My view is that a poem will form itself as you write it, and then you have to discern if it's the kind of poem you want to share more widely, or what it's purpose is.
yes, good point - good old discernment again! Which suggests that it might sometimes be necessary to leave a beautiful, even enchanting poem safely in the notebook, if you’re a little suspicious of what its purpose might be! I think this comes back to the internal wrestling of the pagan and the Christian in me. I think Paul Kingsnorth wrote about this recently…..
Morning, Jenny! I'm fascinated by your question. I guess I would want to know what would be the source of worry?
Afternoon! :-) I think its related to those times when the inspiration feels a bit mystical (without hopefully sounding pretentious here), and I like the beauty or rock n’ roll of it, but I’m not sure if its pointing the right way, if that makes sense? But equally, I don’t want to sanitise or tame my writing, and lose the grit of real life. I’ve been thinking about the ‘Good, beautiful and true’ thing lately, maybe that’s a good filter to apply in the discernment that @A. A. Kostas suggests….
You are made in his image--a poeima, which literally means "something made." He is an imaginative God. Creating is always the right way!
Thank you Tania. A nice thought! 🙏
This is beautifully written. You capture so much of what draws me to poetry. Some of my favorite lines: "Poetry distills the essence of language, recreate the images and sensations that thoroughly affect us. It’s no wonder biblical writers returned again and again to poetry in their attempts to communicate spiritual principles. If you want to lead another person toward deep and arresting truths, and have those truths remain in their hearts, consider poetry."
thanks Abigail, I'm glad it resonated with you
This was beautifully done!
Thank you Kimberly - your support always means a lot to me!
You too!! Excellent work! Many lines took my breath away.