Merry Christmas, all!

This morning’s email didn’t say who had actually posted Journey of the Magi, and I was intrigued.  Was this Mom? Anne?  The blogsite told me it was Dan of course, but the temporary mystery was compelling, and seeing it there on the blog I was inspired to read the poem again, this time out loud.   I have put my kids through this kind of thing more than they care for, but this morning, maybe in the spirit of Christmas, they resisted groaning and even seemed to listen and appreciate the recital.  When I was done I asked, “What do you think? Publishable?”  After an earnest pause, Kirsten said, “Yes.”  I suspect Mr. Eliot would be grateful.

Poetry works best when spoken aloud.   I went on to read your earlier blog, Dan, the email of which for some reason I had not seen, and I was immediately reminded of another, less famous person who had died last week: Christopher Hitchens.   He was a journalist who I do not remember ever reading, but apparently he wrote boldly and he had a lot of respect among his peers, several of whom devoted column-length eulogies in the Tribune.   From Clarence Page: 

“It seemed at first that he had refused or forgotten the host's request to bring, instead of gifts, a poem to read at the party. But when his turn came, he smoothly recited a touchingly appropriate work by William Butler Yeats without hesitation or a hint of uncertainty. This brought applause and a request for an encore, which he granted without the blink of an eye. He seemed to have a library of literature in his head.”

I do not have such a library, but I am appreciating lately, by memorizing a few of my own poems or helping Andrew with Confirmation bible verses, but just as much by reading good things put in front of me, how rich it can be to recite or read something aloud.   A few weeks ago Kirsten’s homework inspired me to read Huck Finn Chapter 31 aloud (“You can’t pray a lie”).  A few Sundays ago I felt privileged to be a lector in church, reading the beginnings of Luke’s Christmas story (“Nothing is impossible with God”).

A year-end thanks, to Dan for inspiring and advancing this Symposia idea and to everyone for keeping it going.  And do not feel that you need something original to post here.   It’s all good!