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December 1, 2004
Ache for Eternity: Its Introduction and Conclusion
I still have some more stuff from AFE to come, although some of the poems are a bit more archaic and stilted as they are early works. Here, though, is the intitial introduction to the piece, which is quite idealistic and simplistic in some ways but has some good stuff in it. The conclusion was written about 4-5 years after the introduction and it has some instructive stuff in it too, I think.
Introduction
Poetry doesn't seem to have much of a place in our busy lives these days. It is true much of the music we enjoy is poetry to one degree or another, but for the most part we leave poetry to professionals such as English teachers and those strange intellectual types. This we do to our great loss, however, because poetry is about life; its most piercing joys and its deepest sorrows; its most perplexing struggles and moments of brilliant epiphany. Poetry, well written, like no other media, presents thoughts, emotions, and ideas in their very essence in an attempt to move the reader in the same way the poet has been moved. If this occurs then a poem is successful.
The type of poetry we enjoy will largely depend on what we believe and feel. Poetry, it is true, is a reflection of life, but those who reflect life will imbue it with their own ideas and meanings. It is my hope that my poetry is imbued with ideas and meanings that are not only my own but that also reflect ultimate realities. It will readily become apparent that my way of viewing the world is through Christian eyes and, in as much, I hope my poetry reflects on the beauty and tragedy and pathos of life in a manner that is not only compelling but in a way that is true and good. The command of scripture in Paul's letter to the Philippians is to dwell on that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. In attempting to order our thinking life in this manner, however, it becomes clear that what is truth, rather what is reality, may not always be lovely or noble. The message of Paul's exhortation, however, is not to ignore the harsh realities of our fallen world and sinful natures, but rather to address them and in so doing tell the truth and give the reason for hope, the good news of Jesus Christ. It is my hope that each poem in this little collection reflects on one of three summarizing values we are to dwell on: beauty, truth and love.
In conclusion, some words about the structure and title of the book. Regarding the structure, each poem is coupled with a little meditation which further reflects on the theme of the poem. If you are a poetry purist, you are welcome to skip over these, which may seem as unpoetic intrusions of explanatory prose. However, on the whole, I do not think they take away from the impact of the poems, but rather further enrich them. The poems, for lack of any tidy system of arrangement, are presented in order they were penned, from the late years of High School to the present, with the only exception being the final poem. Concerning the title, there is a longing in every human heart that is put there by God. St. Augustine described this longing saying, "Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and we are restless till we find our rest in Thee." Truly it is the Lord we must hunger after and partake in if we are to be filled. We have an ache then for God but also for eternity when we will enjoy Him and his saints forever. Hopefully these poems are a reflection of that hunger for God and the appreciation of his creation here now and a looking forward to the full experience of Him in eternity. Secondly the book is "A Journey in Verse," because that is what it chronicles: a journey, a process, a growing into grace and understanding that has yet to be completed. The journey is a personal one and you will catch glimpses of where I have been, but hopefully the poems will resonate in experiences you have had on your journey as well. To be sure, our journeys are all hills and valleys, but the overall direction is upward by virtue of God's grace and mercy.
Finally, a word of encouragement reflecting again on the nature of poetry. Poetry is all around to be appreciated and enjoyed in the very fabric of life. One poet has said regarding poetry, "We are all born poets. What is surprising is the number of people who stop being poets." The phrase is an old one but it still bears true, we need to "Stop and smell the roses," and also the stench of fallen life and, above all, the perfume of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So read, write and enjoy poetry in the enjoyment and appreciation of God, His good creation and His redemptive work.
I write this conclusion at least four years after the document above was written. Perhaps, the most obvious thing that I have learned since that time is that the conclusion is never really the conclusion, at least this side of eternity. As you may have gathered from reading the remainder of my homepage [my college era page], I have written some writing that is decidedly different in tenor and content. That comes, I believe, from having experienced life a little more and from having ventured a little out from the safe bubble of my childhood into a world that is more complex and painful than I had imagined. Do I still believe in all the goodness portrayed in these poems and devotionals? Do I still believe in the solutions to difficult problems that are at times offered somewhat glibly in these works? The answer is "Yes." It is not perhaps a resounding of a "Yes" as it might have been at one point, but it is a "Yes" nonetheless. I hope that even in the darkest night that I will always hope for the Lord, even if that hope is only a smoldering wick. And far more to the point, I want to be one who truly shows the light of God, a light that is both revealing and warming. And, hopefully, His light will not only be reflected by me like the sun's light by the moon, but infuse me and cause me to be afire with Him, as if the sun's rays suddenly pierced the surface of the moon and caused it to glow like a star. Oh, I want goodness and rest so much, but amidst the pain of this world, so that others may experience it as well. The ache continues...
| By jackdas | 2:33 PM
