Alright, friends (this is the phrase with which I begin many of my classes nowadays) — this blog feels like a bit of a limbo space to me nowadays, so while I figure out what to do with it, I’m going to give you three poems: one from Emily Dickinson, one I scraped out during a Lenten exercise a few month ago, and then Psalm 19 from King David. I’ll just leave them here to be in conversation with each other for the moment.

From Dickinson:

The Brain — is wider than the Sky —
For — put them side by side —
The one the other will contain
With ease — and You — beside —

The Brain is deeper than the sea —
For — hold them — Blue to Blue —
The one the other will absorb —
As Sponges — Buckets — do —

The Brain is just the weight of God —
For — Heft them — Pound for Pound —
And they will differ — if they do —
As Syllable from Sound —

From myself:

Emily claims the brain outstrips the sky
but these days the firmament looks large to me:
      Fields of cloud tuft—falling sediment—
      A pocked and glowing moon—
      Satellites laced with human noise—
      And beyond wheeling stars and crowned planets:
      Vast darknesses that lead to light—
      Powers-that-be waging broad-chested wars—
      Blood streaming cross universes, tie-dyeing heaven—
      The hand that holds it all—
By compare,
my own self within 
is small, mute.

And from scripture:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.