Poets’ Pavilion – h. renell's Hearth

Refreshing Caesura

Published October 11, 2022 by h. renell

alexas_fotos-mJZn0eZUzh0-unsplash — Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Unsplash

Psalms 16:9 NKJV
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.

A caesura in poetry is a break, or rest, in the rhythm of the poem. Punctuation can mark it, but it can also be indicated by a phrase or clause.

The caesura can break up the monotony of a line. It can also emphasize what is next or what has gone before.

As we pen our poems, a rest between drafts breaks the rhythmical work. It allows us to come back to our poems refreshed.

It allows us to come to the table hopeful in crafting poems that will make a difference. It permits those whom God sends to read them a message from Him to slip through our rational minds into our spirits. Like when Jesus spoke in parables.

Poets' Pavilion

BibleVerses

Celebrating Our Events

Published January 22, 2022 by h. renell

donovan-reeves-E4hWWoTTtxw-unsplash — Photo by Donovan Reeves on Unsplash

During the dedication of the new Jerusalem wall, all the Levites throughout the land came to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies and to take part in the joyous occasion with their thanksgiving, cymbals, psaltries, and harps.
Nehemiah 12:27 TLB

Occasional poetry is, as the name suggests, poetry written for an occasion. The emotional range is wide: it can be celebratory or a time of grief. German writer Goethe (18th through the 19th century) wrote that occasional poetry was “the first and most genuine of all kinds of poetry.”

United States poet laureates are assigned the task of writing occasional poetry.

Though Robert Frost wrote The Gift Outright in 1942, he read it at President Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. And although most Americans don’t think of The Battle Hymn of the Republic as an occasional poem, it is.

Nehemiah rebuilt the wall. And when it was finished, they celebrated.

Poets' Pavilion

BibleVerses Community Constitution History Military

Anchored In Dance

Published January 14, 2022 by h. renell

etienne-boulanger-A-_u_Hmk3as-unsplash — Photo by Etienne Boulanger on Unsplash

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
Hebrews 6:19 NKJV

In Praise of Dancing
St. Augustine
I praise the dance, for it frees people
from the heaviness of matter
and binds the isolated to community.
I praise the dance, which demands everything:
health and a clear spirit and a buoyant soul.
Dance is a transformation of space, of time, of people,
who are in constant danger of becoming all brain,
will, or feeling.
Dancing demands a whole person, one who is
firmly anchored in the center of his life, who is
not obsessed by lust for people and things
and the demon of isolation in his own ego.
Dancing demands a freed person, one who vibrates
with the balance of all his powers.
I praise the dance.
O man, learn to dance, or else the angels in heaven
will not know what to do with you.

In my younger years, I danced in ballet and tap classes, and during college, I took a modern dance class. The pictures of me in a tutu and ballet slippers lay in a box with other photographs.

I still dance while doing the dishes or only to express my joy.

This expression, this dance — my Lord of the dance has sustained me, has been my anchor during the dark days of today.

Put on your ballet slippers, tap shoes, or whatever footwear you have (modern dance uses your bare feet) and express your joy in the Lord in an upside-down world.

Poets' Pavilion

BibleVerses Community History

Old Loss New Beginnings

Published January 7, 2022 by h. renell

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I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.
Zephaniah 3:18 NIV

Alfred Lord Tennyson published “In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]” anonymously. This section is one of many that took him from 1833 to 1850 to write. Through his writing, he processed the deep pain of losing a friend.

As I read this poem, it spoke to me the miracle of new beginnings even in a time of deep suffering like we see ourselves in today. I, too, lost one of my best friends this past year.

Poets' Pavilion

Artists Friendship

Crackin’ the Poetry Books

Published December 17, 2021 by h. renell

A wise man will hear and grow in learning. A man of understanding will become able to understand a saying and a picture-story, the words of the wise and what they mean.
Proverbs 1:5-6 NLV

When I was ready to take writing poetry seriously, I went to my default setting of books. By the time I was finished with one, it was liberally highlighted with either pencil or a yellow highlighter.

Poetry for Dummies was my first. It gave me a broad overview of everything poetry. Then I read any recommendation lists or reader reviews to find others to help me along the way.

In order to learn, we must also take those first baby steps with our pens, pencils, or keyboards. The same applies to our Christian lives — at some point beyond reading the Bible, we must step out in faith.

Poets' Pavilion

BibleVerses Bookshelf

Category: Poets’ Pavilion

Refreshing Caesura

Celebrating Our Events

Anchored In Dance

Old Loss New Beginnings

Crackin’ the Poetry Books