Jan
2021
Poetry Friday: A Cry Like a Bell (review)
I have long loved the writings of Madeleine L’Engle–she is often the one I name as my favorite author, though I have a hard time narrowing down a favorite book. I started with A Wrinkle in Time and the stories that followed. I met the Austins and devoured the Crosswicks Journals and even explored her ficiton for grownups. I knew she wrote poetry, but had not read much until I received A Cry Like a Bell for Christmas.
In these poems, L’Engle speaks in the voices of Biblical characters, ranging from Eve to Esau, Isaac to the woman at the well. Just as in her other writings, she is unafraid to live in the questions rather than settling for easy answers. She dives into some of the most difficult stories.
What did Isaac think when Abraham let him up the mountain to be sacrificed? Did he ask,
What kind of God the Father would ask Abraham,
Abraham, his son
to offer up Isaac, his son.
Why ask?
Why demand obedience for such a wanton sacrifice?
How can my father’s Father be a God of love?
How could my father sharpen the knife?
And the cry from Jepthah’s daughter in one of her two poems, echoes the cries of so many who face an unjust fate:
Does anybody hear me? El! Are you there?
Where are you? You said you would always care
If you are not, then there is nothing anywhere?
The largest selection of poems wonder at the Incarnation of God come to live among us — not just through the voices of the familiar cast of characters of Mary and Joseph and shepherds and wise men, but many of the poems point to or circle around it as well. The “First coming” seems to speak to where we are today. Here are the first and last stanzas:
He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
But it was a line from Balaam’s Ass that stopped me in my tracks:
my heaviest burden is to turn the curse into a blessing
I used it to write a Golden Shovel poem.
My Pledge
I give my
pledge to listen to the heaviest
memories that burden
our shared history. The truth is
needed before we can begin to
reconcile and turn
toward each other in the
hope that the curse
of hate can be shattered into
contrite heart ready to claim a
promise of blessing.
Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Jan hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Bookseedstudio. She has much to SING about–including upcoming books by Amanda Gorman and lots of resources to learn more about this bright and shining young poet. Hurry over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.
Carmela Martino
February 2, 2021 at 5:04 pm (3 years ago)I’m a great fan of L’Engle, especially her Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, but I’m not familiar with her poetry. Thanks for sharing some excerpts. Wow! I’m impressed by your Golden Shovel poem. What a powerful pledge.
Mrs. McGriff
February 5, 2021 at 9:36 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Carmela. I have not seen Walking on Water–I’ll look for it.
Michelle Kogan
January 31, 2021 at 12:34 am (3 years ago)I’m holding on the these guideposts from your poem: truth, reconciliation, hope, and blessings. Thanks for the sensitive and calling out for action golden shovel poem Kay, and for L’Engle’s poetry book!
Mrs. McGriff
January 31, 2021 at 11:54 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Michelle. I’m glad you found guideposts to take with you. May more of us follow them.
Jan
January 30, 2021 at 7:20 pm (3 years ago)Hi Kay, I think of happy Christmas bells & other bells of joy, so the book title, A Cry Like a Bell, grabbed my attention. Such a heartfelt golden shovel “My Pledge” ~~ you’ve created & I also read multiple times, the poem lines you share of M. L’Engle.
This weekend I’m attending a conference online where one of the professors said earlier, “Religion is almost a blunt instrument in the hands of some,” when speaking about a lack of tolerance for folks with non-Judeo-Christian faith path beliefs, or for people with sexual identities other than female & male. These healing ideas are important & I appreciate this post very much.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 8:30 pm (3 years ago)Thank you, Jan. I struggle with those who use religion as a blunt instrument in the hands of some. I have always been drawn to those writers/thinkers who explore the questions rather than insisting they have the answers. L’Engle was one of the first writers I encountered who explored those questions without having all the answers. The older I get, I find I have more and more questions and fewer answers.
Jan
February 5, 2021 at 9:34 am (3 years ago)O, yes. Ditto here ~ more questions than answers. Appreciations for sharing this. xo Jan
Ruth
January 30, 2021 at 12:35 pm (3 years ago)So good! I love Madeleine l’Engle, too, and some of the poems you quoted were familiar. Your golden shovel is wonderful.
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 4:07 pm (3 years ago)THanks, Ruth. She remains one of my favorite writers.
Linda Mitchell
January 30, 2021 at 8:36 am (3 years ago)Wow, Kay! What a great book of poetry. I will need to check this one out. And, I agree. That line about the heaviest burden. January has been good poetry for you. And, we get to be part of it–thanks sof sharing the title, snippets and your golden shovel. “hate can be shattered/into a contrite heart.” Oh, I hope so. I really do.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 12:04 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Linda. I have found so much to ponder in this collection. I hope you can find it and enjoy it.
Kathryn Apel
January 30, 2021 at 12:25 am (3 years ago)She is certainly tackling the heavy questions! You’ve chosen a wonderful line to ponder in your golden shovel, Kay. ‘…the heaviest burdens of a shared history’ is a hard truth. But ‘turning toward each other’ and listening will start the process of healing.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 12:03 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Kat. I am hoping that people will start to turn toward each other and listen–at least enough of us to start change in a more positive direction.
Carol Varsalona
January 29, 2021 at 9:29 pm (3 years ago)Wonderful insights into the Bible stories, Kay. Your line “hope that the curse/of hate can be shattered” is a strong call to action hope that we all need to ponder. More questions may be in order to dig deeper into our own psyche. It is good to see you delving into your writing and sharing it with us.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 12:02 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Carol. All of these poems gave me so much new to think about from familiar stories. I agree that we need to ask and ponder more questions in ourselves as a community as well as individually.
jone
January 29, 2021 at 8:34 pm (3 years ago)How interesting. I loved her book TWO PART INVENTION. I didn’t know she wrote poetry. Your Golden Shovel is spot on. What a great line to write around. Brava.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 12:00 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Jone. I loved TWO PART INVENTION, too, as well as the rest of her journals.
Linda Baie
January 29, 2021 at 8:32 pm (3 years ago)I didn’t know she had a book of poetry, either, Kay, but I do know some of her adult works are deeply religious. I agree that her “hope that the curse/of hate can be shattered” is something to work toward. Thanks for the excerpts and your thoughtful poem.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 11:59 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Linda. I really enjoyed this collection of her poems. I will be looking to see if she has more collections.
Bridget Magee
January 29, 2021 at 11:23 am (3 years ago)Thanks for sharing this new to me L’Engle poetry collection. I ‘dig’ your Golden Shovel poem, yes to your call to “turn toward each other”!
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 11:58 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Bridget. I’m looking for reasons for hope these days.
janice scully
January 29, 2021 at 10:57 am (3 years ago)Thank you for writing about L’Engle. I’d love to read more of her, Her poems you shared really do ask the important questions ‘How could my father sharpen the knife?” And your golden shovel takes it further. “Truth is /needed” right now.
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 11:58 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Janice. I love that L’Engle is not afraid to ask questions without easy answers.
Donna
January 28, 2021 at 9:57 pm (3 years ago)Fantastic post — and now I need to buy another book! I have several of hers but some of this is new to me. Thank you!
Mrs. McGriff
January 30, 2021 at 11:57 am (3 years ago)It’s a great collection. I think you will enjoy it.