KNOWING THROUGH POETIC REFLECTION
By Brian E. Wakeman
Pen Press, Brighton. 280 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 780 036 175
In this thoughtful but puzzling book, a Baptist teacher and grandfather explores and commends the cause of poetry.
His nine chapters include practical hints on poetry and painting, examples of wisdom and ‘prophecy’, and ‘Developing the Use of Poetry in the Church’ — the highly useful chapter 8.
Among a wide range of quoted sources and websites we find all the ‘good’ names (ESV, The Briefing, Carson, Grudem, Kidner, Nazir-Ali, Stott) but others which might arouse suspicion. Surprising omissions are the Association of Christian Writers, Simon Baynes, Lance Pierson and, from a generation back, Norman Nicholson or Margaret Clarkson. The writer has discovered Alan Gaunt, a hymn writer with a wide knowledge of poets and a keen love of poetry, but misses several later editions and anthologies of Christian verse. Some names are misspelt and other misprints have slipped through.
The puzzle is the inclusion of over 100 of the author’s own verses (one appearing twice) published, we gather, at the urging of those who have read or heard them. They suggest that ‘poetry’ consists of more-or-less rhyming couplets with little regard to scansion, and while many contain humour, sympathy and keen observation (illness, hospitals), few seem able to bear the weight of the rather heavy theories advanced about them.
From one who encourages us to study psalms, hymns, metre, metaphor and much more, the unremitting sameness of these lines inevitably suggests either a child’s classroom verses or the script of a genuine rap — rhyming prose rather than full-blooded poetry. A rhythmic musical backing might rescue some from the danger of falling into banality. Rather than the relentless analysis and reporting of appreciative comments, could they not sometimes stand by themselves without detailed dissections and commendations? But if the book stimulates an awareness and love of poetry, it will not be in vain in the Lord.
