The Poetry of Death and Resurrection

How could he “construct” a poem that did not merely look upon tragedy and despair but which provided “something / Upon which to rejoice”? The answer came in the form of the poem from which these words are quoted: Ash-Wednesday. The choice was inevitable. The season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, marks a liturgical pilgrimage toward Christ’s resurrection and the joy of eternal life, but it begins in sober penitence, suffering, and self-denial. Along the way, it must pass through the tragedy of the cross and the tomb before emerging into the light. Read Full Article »