Tag Archives: Christian
New Poem: Elevation
Another long hiatus in posting here, but it feels right to upload some more poetry. Next Saturday, I will be, God-willing, ordained priest in the Church of England, having spent the last year as a deacon. I’ve written and spoken … Continue reading
Three Theological Poems
It’s been a funny time for writing poetry. I’m still awaiting an upsurge in confidence for some reason; and my creative energies have in many ways been employed elsewhere with academic work. And so these three poems appeared at various … Continue reading
Two Poems on the Bible
Writing poetry hasn’t been coming easily. I’ve had other things to write – papers, reports, journals. And I’ve lost a little confidence, but that’s ok. These two poems are not wonderful, but they are a part of the … Continue reading
New Poem: ‘Formation’
It’s been four months since I started training to be a priest at Cranmer Hall. I have relished every opportunity; yet the whole experience has been, perhaps inevitably, quite unsettling. One way I’ve tried to describe the experience is in terms of feeling … Continue reading
New Poem: ‘Echoes, Durham Cathedral’
At the end of August we arrived in Durham, our home for the next two years of ordination training. Almost immediately, I was drawn to its astounding Romanesque Cathedral which gazes benevolently over the city from its position on a high promontory … Continue reading
New Poem: ‘The Two Trees’
I’ve been sitting on this poem for quite some time now, and now it feels right to share. It came simply in one of those moments of ‘seeing’, when something I’ve been looking at quite dimly for weeks (in this … Continue reading
New Poem: ‘An Ode to an Extravert’
This is a poem born out of frustration and of sympathy. I’m something of an extravert, though not as extreme a specimen as I once thought. As I’ve got older, as God’s got to work on me, and as I’ve … Continue reading
Bield Poem #5: ‘Working Towards Seeing’
The morning of our last day at the Bield was cold, bright and clear, with a dampness just on the edge of frost. It was the beginning of Advent. As I stood on the grass outside, squinting at the sun and its effects, … Continue reading
Bield Poem #4 – ‘Labyrinth’
One of the many features at the Bield designed to help retreatants to encounter God (in addition to the swimming pool, art room, and wonderful chapel converted from an old carpenter’s workshop) is a turf labyrinth in the grounds. A labyrinth … Continue reading
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
I’m taking a break in my series of poems written while on retreat, to share two pieces from this Christmas period. It’s been a time of mixed blessings, as perhaps Christmas always is. I’ve realised how tired I am, and how … Continue reading
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