One of My Muses

There are a handful of people whose voices I listen to for theological inspiration. Most of them are poets. Poetry, liturgy, and theology are of one piece. Poets are inclined to describe rather than define. They're comfortable playing with image and symbol and rhythm and silence, which are the best tools we have for describing God--or whatever it is in our bodies that we refer to as an "experience" of God.

A few years ago, a congregant at NDPC shared with me a poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes. Turns out he shares a poem every day--you can subscribe on his website, Unfolding Light. They're my daily devotional.

Here's his poem for today, June 20th, titled "Cheap Motel":

Maybe your spirit has headphones on, 

or is watching TV, blocking out the noise

because life is a cheap motel,

the walls are thin, you can hear stuff, 

breaking in on the news,

interrupting what you're trying to think—

and you've almost got it all figured out—

so you keep scrolling,

keep paying meticulous inattention,

because if you let it in you hear it:

trees sighing, maybe, ocean whispering, 

or some kind of voices.

You can't understand the words 

but you get the vibe.

A song with your name in it. 

Angels partying next door.

Your head gets sick of it.

But your soul has its ear to the wall.