With the dawn of Advent and a new church year this coming weekend, we are launching a new feature on our website, a weekly post of poetry that resonates with the lectionary readings for that week (Revised Common Lectionary).
*** Revised Common Lectionary ***
Lectionary Reading: Matthew 11:2-11
CLASSIC POEM:
St. John the Baptist
William Drummond
THE last and greatest Herald of Heaven’s King,
Girt with rough skins, hies to the deserts wild,
Among that savage brood the woods forth bring,
Which he than man more harmless found and mild.
His food was locusts, and what young doth spring
With honey that from virgin hives distill’d;
Parch’d body, hollow eyes, some uncouth thing
Made him appear, long since from earth exiled.
There burst he forth: ‘All ye, whose hopes rely
On God, with me amidst these deserts mourn;
Repent, repent, and from old errors turn!’
—Who listen’d to his voice, obey’d his cry?
Only the echoes, which he made relent,
Rung from their marble caves ‘Repent! Repent!’
CONTEMPORARY POEM:
The Joy of Knowing Your Purpose
Nikki Grimes
SNIPPET:
Is that all there is?
a familiar refrain
…
[ READ THE FULL POEM ]
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C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church (Brazos Press, 2019). Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com
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