“Poets make the best killers.”
At least, that’s what Marilyn Nelson reported Tom Clancy saying in a workshop she had with him. Not sure what he meant by that, but it was an interesting comment on the first day of work on poems. We spent some good time on William Meredith’s “Jain Bird Hospital in Delhi” in which Meredith opens up the sestina form with some fascinating modifications of the repeated end words. One interesting string: prey / victims / pray / quarry. Another thought provoking thought was the transposition of the words “ahisma” and “nonviolence”, a move which highlights not only the inherent violence of any language translation but also the paradox of our English language to require the inclusion of “violence” to name the absence of it.
Of the many comments made through the discussion of the work of two poets, I was struck most by the idea that an event–in the case of our discussion, especially a painful or negative event–is an opportunity or a doorway through which to explore our experience. Rather than fixating on the wrong, the wrong is redeemed. Wondering how to make that real in my work.
After an afternoon of reading, commenting, and conversing, the evening session began with Greg Wolfe presenting his opening remarks which were meant to be given last night. The theme of this year’s workshop is “Fully Human.” Wolfe focused on the insidious Gnosticism that pervades our conception of God, beginning with this response to gnosticism by 2nd century theologian Irenaeus: The Glory of God is the human fully alive. Wolfe also raised the idea that we Christians often see the Incarnation as God DESCENDING to our level but the early church fathers saw the Incarnation rather as humanity being rasied/taken up into the Godhead. Now assume the ponder position.
The keynote address was delivered by Andy Crouch, author of a book with an interesting premise but which I have not read called Culture Making. He asked the squirming like an ant under a magnifying glass question, “Why are we not the creators we are meant to be?” Crouch offered 5 possibilities:
- Distraction
- Creativity is hard
- A misguided egalitarian ethos in the church. (NOTE: He was not referring to egalitarianism as it refers to gender. Rather, an unwillingness to acknowledge excellence, to acknowledge that some people are simply better at some things than other people.
- Fear of failure
- The costliness of love
Obviously there were explanations and examples to flesh out this outline. I was struck, however, by Crouch’s reference to Paul in relation to the costliness of love. In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul writes “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” The loving presentation of the Gospel is not just a sharing of the gospel but also the sharing of the humanity of the sharer. Again, you may now assume the ponder position.
And I, I am going to begin a poem about a combover.
Todd, great pictures from day 1, and I’m looking forward to hearing about your writing experiences at the Glen. I must confess, though, that my greatest joy in sharing your experience thus far has come from learning that someone has actually patented a combover style. More power to him/her. When I was a teenager, there was a guy at the local auto repair shop who started a combover quite literally from just above one ear….allllll the way over to its partner. I suspect that if it ever flipped the wrong way, it would have dangled to his elbow.
Peace.
Mr. Truffin sir! Thanks for sharing with those of us who can’t make it. Hope you have a fantastic Glen and that the brew makes it to Thomas Parker. As to combovers…mmm…I’d like to read the poem!