We’re coming upon the way up, having spent much time on the way down. Eliot begins by reasserting that our spiritual lives have expression through attachment (the live nettle) and detachment (the dead nettle). These have been expressed in the hedgerows' May flowers and midwinter snow “flowers,” in the wedding dance and the darkness of … Continue reading History Lessons

Here is Mary, the Lady whose stands on the promontory above the dark throat of the sea. Finally in Dry Salvages we move from intimations of incarnation to explicit religious language: prayer, annunciation, and Mary, aka Lady enshrined on the fierce edge of the sea. Mary, figlia del tuo figlio, daughter of your son. Another time … Continue reading Can We Talk About Mary?

We have steadily followed East Coker’s exploration of the pattern of life on earth—and under it—birth, growth, decay, death, repeat. This time in an age—1940, WWII—when death is out of season. Then darkness. Then life’s submission to the wounded surgeon. Finally the seeming pinnacle of East Coker—the crucifixion/eucharist. Now what? Now Eliot is back again protesting … Continue reading Words, Words, Words. East Coker 5

Dear Readers, The liturgical calendar gives us occasional times out of ordinary time. The 40+ days of Lent is such a time, a season where one might be encountered by the holy or wholly new-to-me. Poetry and music both have this capacity to address us, rather than the other way around. We chose T.S. Eliot’s … Continue reading Beginnings