There is a lady at our church, a poet. In fact, she is such a good poet, she can actually call herself a poet and nobody seems to think that is odd in any way.

I asked her to explain poetry to me once, and her response was a little mind blowing. She patiently explained that the intent of the arts is to express ideas and emotions that cannot be expressed using words. The thing about poetry is that you have to use words to express that which cannot be expressed using words. So the poet employs forms and devices like rhythm, alliteration, metaphor, simile, and other literary elements to achieve their art.

I tell you this because we just recently hung a poetry show in my church’s Art & Soul Gallery. Twenty one framed pieces from nine different authors, some poignant and some whimsical, all artistically expressive. And all sharing some aspect of what it is to live fully in a broken but God-breathed world.

One poem grapples with the difficulty of change, particularly the changes that come from trials. Another celebrates the simple act of picking blackberries. One cautions us to pause and drink in the moment of now. Another is a simple remembrance of the author’s mother. A few of these poets are published authors, but the majority are amateurs. Nevertheless, I love each and every one of these poems in its own way.

There are a lot of reasons why this has quickly become one of my favorite gallery shows in recent memory. Poetry—especially in this day and age—is not easily grasped. It forces the reader to sit and ponder and ruminate, particularly as it lays bare on the bright white page. It opens up the possibility of the Spirit of God to impress things upon the reader. And it speaks to the creative muse that I believe lies deeply in each one of us. As I get more and more feedback from people, I am seeing these poems open up people’s minds—and hearts.

And this to me is another example of how the arts give expression to the fullness of life lived in Christ, honoring God and pointing people to Him. This is why it is so important to give voice to those in your faith communities who paint and write and dance and sing and photograph and compose and act. Because God is writing a story into every one of us, and He is honored when we each have the chance to tell them.

I leave you with one of the poems from this collection, from my friend and recording artist, Stephen Scott. This piece, based on entries from the journals of Lilias Trotter, is called “a long obedience.” It first appeared in the UK online magazine, Beshara. Enjoy.

•

a blur of wings a bird departs in flight 

A broken song, its slowly fading strain 

delicate as the line that you might place

against the texture of a paper’s grain 

as you begin a child’s face filled with light

or light that plays where fallen petals throng

•

from a lake you have learned to be still

untroubled surface that will pause, reflect 

on changes that a passing breeze unfolds

all these your eye will measure and collect

and learn to loosely hold inside until 

the images /reveal their deeper purpose 

•

or unseal the patterns in the dance

of those who gather grain from open flowers 

then scatter as they travel, with no thought

of how their work enriches future hours.

this grand design, sought with intelligence 

and nurtured in a long obedience

•

By the way, to accompany our poetry show, we’ve installed a “Post-It Note Haiku Wall” where the congregation can join in on the fun.

[Banner photo: Art Journal by Debbie Luz. Inset photo: Art & Soul Gallery.]