Please Tell Me You've Heard of Scott Cairns
Posted by: kdc
"...When I say my prayers, of course,
there is much to remember; when I begin to pray,
far more to forget..."
-Scott Cairns, Memento
I am steadily devouring Scott Cairns' Compass of Affection: Poems New and Selected. I hope to post a full review at ninetyandnine.com on Monday, but thought you should be alerted that - in case you thought it stopped being written about 300 years ago - quality Christian poetry is still being written today.
SOME BACKGROUND
I first came across Scott Cairns when I stumbled onto an interesting symposium on "Christianity and Poetry" about 3 years ago. He was clearly the senior member of the panel that the others defferred to, yet I had heard of none of them.
This past April I attended Calvin College's "Festival of Faith and Writing" and attended a session that Cairns shared with a Muslim poet, where he displayed an enviable depth. (See third bulletpoint.)
Now Paraclete Press has just released a high quality hardcover equal to the power of his poetry.
"...(desire) has led you here, where you adopt
the drape of love's body and find your own."
-Scott Cairns, Disciplinary Treatise: Grace
VERSATILE BLESSING
If you are the least inclined toward accessible, biblical verse, are looking for a supplement to your daily devotion, or want to get your favorite reader a nice gift, I recommend you give this title a careful examination. It's just liable to sharpen your faith and soothe your mind in the same perceptive sentence.
-Contributing Editor Kent d Curry
"...When I say my prayers, of course,
there is much to remember; when I begin to pray,
far more to forget..."
-Scott Cairns, Memento
I am steadily devouring Scott Cairns' Compass of Affection: Poems New and Selected. I hope to post a full review at ninetyandnine.com on Monday, but thought you should be alerted that - in case you thought it stopped being written about 300 years ago - quality Christian poetry is still being written today.
SOME BACKGROUND
I first came across Scott Cairns when I stumbled onto an interesting symposium on "Christianity and Poetry" about 3 years ago. He was clearly the senior member of the panel that the others defferred to, yet I had heard of none of them.
This past April I attended Calvin College's "Festival of Faith and Writing" and attended a session that Cairns shared with a Muslim poet, where he displayed an enviable depth. (See third bulletpoint.)
Now Paraclete Press has just released a high quality hardcover equal to the power of his poetry.
"...(desire) has led you here, where you adopt
the drape of love's body and find your own."
-Scott Cairns, Disciplinary Treatise: Grace
VERSATILE BLESSING
If you are the least inclined toward accessible, biblical verse, are looking for a supplement to your daily devotion, or want to get your favorite reader a nice gift, I recommend you give this title a careful examination. It's just liable to sharpen your faith and soothe your mind in the same perceptive sentence.
-Contributing Editor Kent d Curry
