This week’s Poetic Pause features a poem by Brian Doyle, Essayist and Editor at Portland Magazine, and one of the most delightful faith writers I’ve ever read. Doyle passed away in 2017 at the age of 60 and left a legacy of remarkable work.
After I read the selection, I’ll chat a little about the meaning of the word ‘poem’, its genesis and use—how God writes His poetry through us.
Here is The Best Poem Ever
by Brian Doyle1
What if, says a small child to me this afternoon,
We made a poem without using any words at all?
Wouldn’t that be cool? You could use long twigs,
And feathers, or spider strands, and arrange them
So that people imagine what words could be there.
Wouldn’t that be cool? So there’s a different poem
For each reader. That would be the best poem ever.
The poem wouldn’t be on the page, right? It would
Be in the air, sort of. It would be between the twigs
And the person’s eyes, or behind the person’s eyes,
After the person saw whatever poem he or she saw.
Maybe there are a lot of poems that you can’t write
Down. Couldn’t that be? But they’re still there even
If no one can write them down, right? Poems in
Books are only a little bit of all the poems there are.
Those are only the poems someone found words for.
This poem appears in the The Christian Century Magazine
AFTER YOU LISTEN/WATCH
Please take some time to let me know three things.
Were these thoughts about writing poetry helpful? Inspiring?
What resonated with you?
Your Invitation: How you respond with your own “poiema” i.e. ‘made thing’?
Respond in the Comments and share with the community.
DOWNLOAD a PDF of the poem here
Share this post