Basic Information:
Author: Marilyn Chandler McEntyre
Edition: epub on Libby from
Publisher: Eerdmans
ISBN: 9780802876584 (ISBN10: 0802876587)
Start Date: November 23, 2023
Read Date: December 7, 2023
160 pages
Genre: Christianity
Language Warning: None
Rated Overall: 3½ out of 5
Religion: Christianity
Religious Quality: 4 out of 5
Christianity-Teaching Quality: 4 out of 5
Synopsis:
The author has submitted 24 poems from various poets-some known, some unknown. One was her own. She then analyzes them. Not so much for structure or style but how the poet has issued a prayer. Most of the poems are not formal prayers, but what would be expressed as an expression of the soul. There is an introduction explaining what she is trying to do. The ending chapter gives practical advice on poems and prayer.
- Date Became Aware of Book: November 16, 2023
- Why do I want to read this book: I had heard a piece about Richard Wilbur on Mars Hill Audio. When I was looking on Libby for a book by him or his poems, I came across this book.
- What do I think I will get out of it? Poets seem to see things in a different light than I do. I am hoping that this book will give a different slant.
Thoughts:
Introduction
Goes through how we have learned to pray. Poetry and prayer are closely related. Even poems that make no pretense of broaching the sacred invite us to look closely and listen to words, to notice how they trigger associations and invite the mind to play with meaning, how they summon feelings that take us by surprise.
One of the lessons of poetry is that it slows us down, stops us so we can ponder.
Not every poem is a prayer, but I have come to believe that poetry, even for the angry and the disenchanted, takes its inspiration and energy from the Spirit who teaches us to pray.
The Bible is a rich, essential, and sufficient resource for learning to pray. But it’s not a rule book; it is a living word to a living people who are also meant to keep learning from one another in the midst of the long conversation between faith and culture. Not a rule book? But it does contain rules and guidelines for living. Still I think what McEntyre is saying is that as we get closer to God, there is less of a need for rules and more in learning to live.
This book is presented to us not as an analysis of poems and prayers but as reflections.
Natures God
Hildegard of Bingen: From Meditations
This poem does not do much for me. It talks from God’s perspective and ends with Him saying I am the yearning for good. But when I read it the first time, I echoed the yearning for good and the parallelism of God’s desires and when I am at my best, my like desire.
McEntyre says that she discovered a subtle difference between listening for and listening to. I learned listening as an intentional disposition, attitude, readiness.
what “comes” in quiet times when our intention is directed toward God is worth our attention. To learn this.
She points out the sequence of I am’s. Echoing Moses’ Exodus introduction to God.
if we wish to see God, we should look at what happens in the natural world and in humans at their best and most vulnerable. What is she saying here? When a mountain lion takes down a deer, that is how God operates?
To see God in what is near would be misleading if we forgot the cosmic farness and the mystery of the “immortal, invisible” one “whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.”
Lucille Clifton: "spring song"
Seems like this poem is more of an ode to an ecological Jesus. McEntyre notes that in this short poem, Jesus is mentioned four times.
Part of the grace of Trinitarian faith is that we can address God under more than one aspect, taking refuge in one when another is undergoing theological scrutiny. But eventually that same Trinitarian doctrine requires that we come to terms with whatever aspect of God, or particular claims about God, we’ve been avoiding. I was summoned back in very specific ways to Jesus. Good thoughts by McEntyre.
Walter Chalmers Smith: "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"
I have only thought of this as a hymn, not as a prayer of honor and joy.
Robert Frost: "A Prayer in Spring"
McEntyre thinks of a Wendell Berry Poem,
And we pray, not
for new earth or heaven, but to be
quiet in heart, and in eye,
clear. What we need is here
She says that One of the functions of prayer is to bring us into the present. This is done by the small discipline of quieting body and mind is how we commonly “come into the presence” of God, who is always present, and into the present moment. She then notes what T. S. Eliot recognized as “distracted from distraction by distraction.”
She talks about the phrase: happy in the bees. She takes this as Frost being content with the simple things. He has calmed down enough to notice the bees and appreciate them.
Wendell Berry: "Prayer after Eating"
We say grace before we eat a meal, with the appreciation for the meal to be served. This is a prayer after a meal with praise for the meal and praise for the provider of the meal. Blessing is freely and abundantly given, whether we acknowledge it or not, but when we do, it behooves us to recognize what we commonly call a “debt of gratitude.”
The last part is the kicker-hoping that one is worthy of the meal you just took part in. Being made worthy, as the verb suggests, isn’t something we can do alone, but only with God’s help and each other’s. God’s help has already been given; grace abounds
Joy Harjo: "Eagle Poem"
Poem/prayer of a Muskogee Indian. This poem did not resonate with me.
Wrestling
John Donne: "Holy Sonnet XIV"
Poem is full of paradoxes-not a weakness, but a strength. They reflect the paradoxes we find in trying to describe God. The words are 17th century and can mean something different than we in the 21st century think-usually stronger than weaker. We may be among the “good people” that Flannery O’Connor acerbically recognized as inured to grace and in need of a rude awakening. There is a sympathy for the sinner in the poem. There is Luther’s insistence that an adequate understanding of what Christ undertook requires an effort to fathom the depth and horror of sin.
Gerard Manley Hopkins: "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord"
Reminds me of the Psalms. Hopkins argues his case before a just God. Rabbi Zusya, who tells his congregation that when he stands before God, he will not be asked, “Why were you not Moses?” The question is, why are you not yourself? (note to Gary: Who is Rabbi Zusya?)
Most of the lines are lament, except for the last: Mine, O thou lord of life, send my roots rain.
SAID: Psalm (from 99 Psalms)
SAID is an Iranian born poet who lives in Germany. He uses Jewish, Moslem and Christian thinking as a background to all of his poems. Poem is full of imperatives.
See www.bobcornwall.com.2013/10/99-psalms-said-review.html.
Marilyn McEntyre: "Assurance"
Another poem which did not speak to me.
Praying
George Herbert: "The Call"
The poem moves me; the explanation does not.
Thomas Merton: "The Candlemas Procession"
While the explanation does not seem to add for me, the poem strikes me. Maybe because my House Church has begun to study Acts and the tongues of fire imagery reflects a vision of Pentecost.
Denise Levertov: "The Avowal"
Galway Kinnell: "Prayer"
Scott Cairns: "Possible Answers to Prayer"
Mary Oliver: "Praying"
The poem/prayer reminds me of Anne Dillard’s injunction about being there. There is a sense of I no longer have to be bound by hurry, but stop and observe all and find the beauty which God put there. Is there beauty in a mosquito? Cockroach? Bermuda? Anything—weeds, small stones—can occasion that grace. Then McEntyre says: prayerful awareness doesn’t depend on beauty.
The practice of noticing opens the heart to gratitude and leads, at least for this poet and for many who pray, to an impulse to address the Source of what has been seen. Prayer is getting in touch with God.
Marin Sorescu: "Prayer"
Witnessing
T. S. Eliot: From "The Dry Salvages"
Richard Wilbur: From "The Eye"
This is poet is the reason why I checked out this book. I could not find a copy of the poem. Who is Lucy in the poem? This is a reference to Dante’s Comedia.
The reason why I was interested in reading Wilbur was that Mars Hill Audio did a piece on him. They pointed out that Wilbur concentrates on the ordinary, bringing out what we take for granted, a person on the bus, a flower by the sidewalk, … McEntyre does the same within the framework of prayer.
Francisco X. Alarcon: "L. A. Prayer"
This poem was written during the riots in Los Angeles after the verdicts concerning the policemen who beat Rodney King verdict. The formatting reminds me of some of the things I have read of John Cage recently. There are a couple of phrases of McEntyre which caused me to ponder:
The more I read this poem, the more I recognize how powerfully it reminds me what it costs to be a “peacemaker
To pray for peace is to pray for the courage to show up and bring peace to where there is no peace
Anna Kamienska: "Those Who Carry"
This poem-blessing teaches us that human activity, even, or maybe particularly, the common sort can be blessed by God. The poem talks about a man who carries a piano to its destination, a man and the bundle of firewood, even lunatics with their baby carriages can be blessed. Blessing is a liturgical act, a spoken prayer—usually in the mysterious subjunctive—and also a way of seeing and responding that imparts as it witnesses. It is an attitude, like the “quality of mercy,” which “blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”
Appreciation requires imagination. McEntyre talks about seeing things through other people’s vision.
Remembering him is a reminder of what recovery requires, and of how many are quietly walking that hard road a day at a time. We forget a person’s efforts until something jars us to memory. In this case, the poem reminded McEntyre of a piano mover who did just that.
Michael Chitwood: "On Being Asked to Pray for a Van"
This poem seems to be written in a way to make fun of prayer letters. He receives a prayer letter saying their van is breaking down and they need a new one. The poem prays for each part to be fixed.
But McEntyre reads it more that God is concerned with each little thing and prayer should be made that way. She notes Anne Lamott’s simple typology of prayer: all prayers, she suggests, are elaborations of three words: “Help, Thanks, Wow!” Prayers for help, she and others insist, may be uttered in all times and places, because we always need help. She references the scene in Fiddler on the Roof where the rabbi is asked if there is a blessing for sewing machines. The Rabbi says there is a blessing for everything.
Arundhati Roy notes that God is not only the God of the Universe, but also of small things. The sparrow and the grass as well as the stars.
One answer to the question often asked in desperation or exasperation—“Where is God?”—is always and simply, “Here.”
McEntyre says that our prayers need to be specific like poems are. Rather than general. Prayer is partly a practice of paying attention to what is, and partly a practice of participation
Anonymous Truck Driver's Prayer: by a Young Ghanaian Christian
This prayer/poem is personal. This person drives a truck which is prone to breaking down on some pretty risky roads. He asks God to take care of the truck and himself. It is also a prayer of confession about the temptations he has to take short cuts.
McEntyre’s conclusion from this prayer? We can practice God’s presence in cubicles and behind grocery carts and in library carrels, giving thanks as we go for small obstacles avoided, temptations overcome, potential disasters averted.
Known and Knowing
Psalm 139:1-12 125
Search me! The start of being humble before God. The Psalmist includes that we do not know what we want.
McEntyre says that Reciting God’s own attributes and acts is a curious thing to do in prayer. But as a reminder of who God is and who we are, recalling the ways that God is present to us helps us situate ourselves rightly before the One without whom there is nothing.
We are not the actors or viewers, but the acted upon.
Praying with Poems, Praying through Poems: An Afterword
This is McEntyre’s summary of her thoughts. She feels that poetry is a pathway into prayer. It can help us sort through our thoughts and delve deeper into what faces us. She provides some practices for writing poems/prayers. There are several of them a couple which I thought were:
Choose a poem for your own funeral and write a short explanation of your choice to those who may have to organize it. Emphasize words or phrases in the poem that you hope to leave as part of your legacy of faith.
Compose another verse to a favorite hymn
Evaluation:
I did not start by looking to read When Poets Pray. I had heard a piece on Richard Wilbur on Mars Hill Audio. In my search, I saw this book had one of his poems, so I read it.
When Poets Pray endeavors to show us how poems can be prayers. McEntyre gives us the texts to 24 short poems-some known, some unknown. She then analyzes them to show how the poem expresses a prayer. Some poets selected might be surprised that someone considers their poem a prayer.
This book is written for the non-technical person, such as myself. Many of the poems resonated with me, which is surprising. I generally do not “get” poetry. Her analysis is easy to follow, touching on how the poet is trying to reach beyond themselves. The poems are divided into five groups: Nature’s God, Wrestling, Praying, Witnessing, and Known and Knowing. So she covers a broad spectrum of the types of prayer.
If you are looking for a book on how to prayer or a book about poetry, this is not it. It is a book which tries to show the connection between poems which expose a soul and prayer. It is worth the read, if for no other reason to examine the poems she has selected.
Notes from my book group:
McEntyre says the one of purposes of poetry is that it causes us to slow down and reflect on the words and thoughts expressed. How do you read poetry? Did this book help you slow down and reflect when you read this kind of writing?
What poems have you come across which you found caused you to use them as a prayer? Sometimes these poems are “hidden” as hymns. WHat hymns causes you to reach outside of yourself?
The author says that the Bible not a rule book; it is a living word to a living people who are also meant to keep learning from one another in the midst of the long conversation between faith and culture. Do you agree with her statement? How does this statement change how you read the Bible?
McEntyre says that Part of the grace of Trinitarian faith is that we can address God under more than one aspect. Does this make sense? Do you need to address certain prayers to certain persons of the Godhead? Does it matter? She goes on to say that it may help us in our prayers to identify with a certain person of God. How so?
One of the things which we encounter when dealing with Christian people is the paradox of how can so bad people be “good” Christians? In the John Donne poem, these paradoxes get exposed. How do you deal with paradoxes both in poetry and religion?
Some of the poems/prayers talk about the small things of life. McEntyre quotes Arundhati Roy about that God is also the God of small things. What in the poems inspire you to consider the small things of life are important to God? How does that change your prayer habits?
McEntyre ends the book with practices which may help with your prayer life. Which ones resonated with you? Which ones will you use?
How do you want your life to change because you read this book?
Many of these questions are either from or adapted from LitLovers.
Why the title of When Poets Pray?
Does this book work as a spiritual guide?
Did the ending seem fitting? Satisfying? Predictable?
Which poem(s) was important to you?
Why do you think the author wrote this book?
What would you ask the author if you had a chance?
What “takeaways” did you have from this book?
How did this book affect your view of the world?
How God is viewed?
What questions did you ask yourself after reading this book?
Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...?
What was memorable?
New Words:
- Koan: a paradoxical anecdote or riddle, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment.
- Espials: the action of watching or catching sight of something or someone or the fact of being seen.
- The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkein
- The Lady’s Not for Burning by Christopher Fry
- Paradiso by Dante
- 1985 Oxford Book of Prayer
- The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson
Good Quotes:
- First Line: In prayer, as in so many other areas of life, we “learn as we go.”
- Last Line: Prayer in dialogue with a poem,, in “call and response” fashion, pausing after each line or two to speak or write a prayer that the poem evokes or allows.
- Not every poem is a prayer, but I have come to believe that poetry, even for the angry and the disenchanted, takes its inspiration and energy from the Spirit who teaches us to pray. Chp Introduction
- what “comes” in quiet times when our intention is directed toward God is worth our attention. Chp Hildegard of Bingen: From Meditations
- A rabbi named Zusya died and went to stand before the judgment seat of God. As he waited for God to appear, he grew nervous thinking about his life and how little he had done. He began to imagine that God was going to ask him, "Why weren't you Moses or why weren't you Solomon or why weren't you David?" But when God appeared, the rabbi was surprised. God simply asked, "Why weren't you Zusya?" A shorter unattributed version is in chp Gerard Manley Hopkins: "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord"
- To pray for peace is to pray for the courage to show up and bring peace to where there is no peace. Chp Francisco X. Alarcon: "L. A. Prayer"
- Appreciation requires imagination. Chp Anna Kamienska: "Those Who Carry"
- One answer to the question often asked in desperation or exasperation—“Where is God?”—is always and simply, “Here.” Chp Michael Chitwood: "On Being Asked to Pray for a Van"
- Prayer is partly a practice of paying attention to what is, and partly a practice of participation. Chp Michael Chitwood: "On Being Asked to Pray for a Van"
- Introduction 1
- Natures God
- Hildegard of Bingen: From Meditations 7
- Lucille Clifton: "spring song" 13
- Walter Chalmers Smith: "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" 18
- Robert Frost: "A Prayer in Spring" 22
- Wendell Berry: "Prayer after Eating" 27
- Joy Harjo: "Eagle Poem" 30
- Wrestling
- John Donne: "Holy Sonnet XIV" 37
- Gerard Manley Hopkins: "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord" 42
- SAID: Psalm (from 99 Psalms) 48
- Marilyn McEntyre: "Assurance" 53
- Praying
- George Herbert: "The Call" 61
- Thomas Merton: "The Candlemas Procession" 66
- Denise Levertov: "The Avowal" 70
- Galway Kinnell: "Prayer" 74
- Scott Cairns: "Possible Answers to Prayer" 79
- Mary Oliver: "Praying" 84
- Marin Sorescu: "Prayer" 87
- Witnessing
- T. S. Eliot: From "The Dry Salvages" 93
- Richard Wilbur: From "The Eye" 97
- Francisco X. Alarcon: "L. A. Prayer" 103
- Anna Kamienska: "Those Who Carry" 109
- Michael Chitwood: "On Being Asked to Pray for a Van" 113
- Anonymous Truck Driver's Prayer: by a Young Ghanaian Christian 117
- Known and Knowing
- Psalm 139:1-12 125
- Praying with Poems, Praying through Poems: An Afterword 129
- Works Cited 133
- List of Permissions 137
References:
