Jeremy W. Johnston
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  • The Books
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  • Contact
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    • Book Launch
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    • Galumphing (Old Blog)
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Words from the Wanderings 

a  blog  by  Jeremy  W.   Johnston

4/22/2020 2 Comments

Two simple sonnets: Dear preacher, Dear soul

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Although good poetry is often complex and enigmatic, there is a value in verse that is both lucid and lyrical. The poetry of the Psalms, for example, is beautiful yet understandable at first glance. Worship songs and hymns are other examples of lyrical yet easy to understand poetry. In his poem “Jordan (1),” the 17th century English poet George Herbert challenges his fellow poets’ penchant for convoluted verse. Instead, he argues for clarity: “is all good structure a winding stair? […] Must all be veil’d, while he that reads, divines, catching the sense at two removes?”[1] Reading poetry doesn’t have to resemble ascending (or descending?) a staircase designed by M. C. Escher. Like Herbert, I believe there is room for good poetry that clearly speaks to the reader. Here is a pair of sonnets I wrote that are intended to be clear (I hope!) but also meaningful. The pair of poems is called "Symposium," and the sonnets represent a glipmse into a discussion between a preacher and a lost soul. 
[1] George Herbert, “Jordan (1)” The Temple (UK: Penguin Classics, 2017), 76.
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AUDIO READING
The poem, "Dear preacher," read by the author.


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AUDIO READING
The poem, "Dear soul," read by the author.

2 Comments
Joseph Johnston
4/30/2020 10:28:33 am

Two very powerful poems, capturing both the pride and the hidden brokenness in the fallen man or woman! The ending of "Dear soul" is especially moving...

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Jeremy W Johnston link
4/30/2020 10:42:57 am

Glad you enjoyed these poems, Joseph!

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    Jeremy W. Johnston

    Christian, husband, father, teacher, writer.

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