My interpretation is that the writer is seeking a manifestation of God’s presence or guidance (hinted at in “a vision of arks”, perhaps the Ark of the Covenant which represented God’s presence? Or the ark of the Flood, representing His deliverance) but at the same time acknowledging God is so beyond us that it would be like trying to drink the ocean (“don’t give me the sea for my thirst”).
I think “mysteries of absence” (line 33) is key: what is missing from our experience of all the fullness of creation? The Creator!
Although we’re incapable of seeing Him face to face (yet!), as the final 2 lines infer, we can revel in the glimpses He gives us in the small things all around us, i.e. nature.
But these are just my thoughts/attempt to crack the riddle. I may be completely barking up the wrong tree! Whatever the case, the poem succeeds in invoking a deep longing alongside a delicious satisfaction — summed up in the phrase “I come away…without answers…only the blessing of hunger and thirst”.
And I think that’s so much the nature of faith: the constant tension of longing & fulfilment.
I agree, the imagery is really beautiful!! Though I lacked a full understanding as I read it, i think your second to last sentence described well what I felt: longing alongside satisfaction. A confusing mix of emotions. But beautiful nonetheless.
Also, I did not know what "glossolalia" meant, so I had to look it up, and it means fabricated, elaborate, and yet non-meaningful speech, as you would associate with someone with schizophrenia or under a spiritual influence or something. Also the gift of tongues.
Which perhaps means there IS no meaning to this poem, but it is simply beautifully meaningless, or someone searching for something as you said, but in their state of mind it comes through as meaningless.
Thank you for introducing me to Olav Hauge. I especially loved reading his poem Up on Top. Chris's poem feels much more ethereal to me and I understood it (some) better when I looked up what "glossolalia" means. I feel the sacred unknown language here and it makes me feel all the closer to the unseen things that are more real than all I can touch and see. Lovely.
Achingly beautiful. I grew up in Georgia but visited my cousins in Middlebury, Indiana every year. I love how Chris' poem brings out the extraordinary in this "ordinary" place...the transient and the eternal whispering to one another.
The ache in this is palpable. I feel, as poets, we are always artfully at a loss brushing up against the most fantastic. And yet we will painstakingly carve it out and describe it the best we can. This poem makes me want to write poetry Chris.
"I am the way the truth and the life," "the light of the world," "the living water" - all such simple and direct statements that require such complex thoughts and actions on the part of the hearer, the believer. This beautiful poem captures that well. Reading it was like walking through a thick, unknown forest while thinking about _______ God.
Oh my, these lines..... "I come away ...without answers...
only the blessing
of hunger and thirst. The fire, the mist,
the boat: I cannot bear to see your face,
but give me a glint, a dewy wisp, a mote."
When we say we hunger and thirst for God, I wonder if it ever occurs to us that were He to answer our prayers we would burst with the filling. Chris has captured this so beautifully.
Beautiful descriptive imagery!
My interpretation is that the writer is seeking a manifestation of God’s presence or guidance (hinted at in “a vision of arks”, perhaps the Ark of the Covenant which represented God’s presence? Or the ark of the Flood, representing His deliverance) but at the same time acknowledging God is so beyond us that it would be like trying to drink the ocean (“don’t give me the sea for my thirst”).
I think “mysteries of absence” (line 33) is key: what is missing from our experience of all the fullness of creation? The Creator!
Although we’re incapable of seeing Him face to face (yet!), as the final 2 lines infer, we can revel in the glimpses He gives us in the small things all around us, i.e. nature.
But these are just my thoughts/attempt to crack the riddle. I may be completely barking up the wrong tree! Whatever the case, the poem succeeds in invoking a deep longing alongside a delicious satisfaction — summed up in the phrase “I come away…without answers…only the blessing of hunger and thirst”.
And I think that’s so much the nature of faith: the constant tension of longing & fulfilment.
I agree, the imagery is really beautiful!! Though I lacked a full understanding as I read it, i think your second to last sentence described well what I felt: longing alongside satisfaction. A confusing mix of emotions. But beautiful nonetheless.
Also, I did not know what "glossolalia" meant, so I had to look it up, and it means fabricated, elaborate, and yet non-meaningful speech, as you would associate with someone with schizophrenia or under a spiritual influence or something. Also the gift of tongues.
Which perhaps means there IS no meaning to this poem, but it is simply beautifully meaningless, or someone searching for something as you said, but in their state of mind it comes through as meaningless.
There's something achingly familiar and yet wildly strange about this, and it's beautiful. <3
Thank you for introducing me to Olav Hauge. I especially loved reading his poem Up on Top. Chris's poem feels much more ethereal to me and I understood it (some) better when I looked up what "glossolalia" means. I feel the sacred unknown language here and it makes me feel all the closer to the unseen things that are more real than all I can touch and see. Lovely.
Achingly beautiful. I grew up in Georgia but visited my cousins in Middlebury, Indiana every year. I love how Chris' poem brings out the extraordinary in this "ordinary" place...the transient and the eternal whispering to one another.
The ache in this is palpable. I feel, as poets, we are always artfully at a loss brushing up against the most fantastic. And yet we will painstakingly carve it out and describe it the best we can. This poem makes me want to write poetry Chris.
Nice use of internal rhyme
"I am the way the truth and the life," "the light of the world," "the living water" - all such simple and direct statements that require such complex thoughts and actions on the part of the hearer, the believer. This beautiful poem captures that well. Reading it was like walking through a thick, unknown forest while thinking about _______ God.
Oh my, these lines..... "I come away ...without answers...
only the blessing
of hunger and thirst. The fire, the mist,
the boat: I cannot bear to see your face,
but give me a glint, a dewy wisp, a mote."
When we say we hunger and thirst for God, I wonder if it ever occurs to us that were He to answer our prayers we would burst with the filling. Chris has captured this so beautifully.
I am a bit disoriented, but those last lines sealed the deal.
Beautiful
I love this so much!! ‘If I come now / to the edge of decision, please: / don’t give me the whole truth.’
lovely
Gorgeous.