“oh no, I’ve said too much - I haven’t said enough”

This subject of the absence of poetry pushes a button for me because it represents so much of what is essential, but often lacking in our lives as Canadians. My favourite teachers were poets - Mike Villeneuve at McNair Sr. Secondary, Jon Furberg at Langara/Vancouver Community College, and Eugene Peterson at Regent College, but also the prophetic people along the way, like Elbert Paul. But their most powerful words have been rarely written down. It seems the medium of written poetry has been lost, or at least the public poetic voice has shifted away from print and common speech. Books of poetry are rare because they don't sell. In an age of information, it makes sense that prose dominates our communication, almost to the point of a loss of meaningful metaphor, where we are left with over-used clichés. Prose has become the dominant language of Modernity, precise and unambiguous, but lacking an appreciation for mystery; crystal clear but often as lifeless as a lake deadened by acid rain. If under-fifty Canadians want to hear poetry we buy a Tragically Hip CD. We hit play hoping to hear what life is really about, or at least what it feels like from the inside out – our hearts are touched by songs and films (even commercials). Our growing appreciation for narrative is great, and I’m sure the book industry is relieved, but this doesn’t fill the space of poetry. Reality TV, trying to make our humanity entertaining, often only makes us feel better about ourselves in contrast to people with “real problems”. I’m not sure if we can learn significant life lessons through watching Jerry Springer. This is very different from contemplating and meditating on a parable or life metaphor, which is designed to get past our defence mechanisms, to the core or heart of who we are or want to become.



I've often wondered why I see such little emotional responsiveness in news reporters when announcing a heart-breaking story. Of course all languages are limited – you can’t say “I love you” in mathematics. Similarly, prose has limits as a literary form. Or is what we notice to be absent in our mass media, a more fully human element, a manifestation of something else? If tearing up or an angered outrage at injustice are unprofessional for a news reporter, what does mature Humanity look like on TV? Where has poetry gone? I believe poetry has diminished because we are willing to hide or ignore something vital about being human that poetry tries to engage with. A type of self-protecting sabotage has allowed a dissonance between mind and heart that has had terrible consequences, not just the absence of word-smiths calling us to gaze carefully at ourselves in a mirror. Our valuing emotional detachment, instead of authenticity, empathy and self-sacrifice as signs of strength and maturity, has birthed generations of relationally challenged people, who are experiencing the breakdown of both family and marriage.



Have we not been witnesses to the loss of deep, committed friendships and the practice of hospitality, and are we not seeing wide-scale isolation, boredom, depression, addiction, and a preoccupation with ‘self-help’ merchandise to address our relentless and unmet craving to be more fully human? When ‘comfort is king’ is our inner mantra, and self-sufficiency our proof of personal empowerment, there is little impetus for the patience and self-sacrifice needed to be inter-dependent members of a community - or stay married. But where are the poets, the culture critics, the prophets, the public intellectuals? Where are all the new Whitman’s and Dylan Thomas’, like Michael Stipe and Gord Downie, who combine truth with music, poetry mixed with entertainment (otherwise we would never hear of them). Perhaps a day will come when we have the courage to seek the truth about ourselves without the need to feel good at the same time. But this would take the intentional postponement of self-gratification for the good of ourselves and others. Not sure if we are ready as a society for this level of commitment and personal involvement. We often only go to a counsellor (or doctor or mechanic) after the point of prevention, when things are really busted, when we feel we can’t cope with one more bit of bad news, even if it is the truth. Our cup is full and over-flowing with bad news and it is overwhelming to think that what is wrong with the world is also what’s wrong with our everyday lives.



I’m not sure if I’m prepared for the level of risk and adventure that taking myself, others, and my culture seriously would require. Listening patiently takes so much focused energy, and makes me feel out of control - responding instead of always trying to control others through my words, thoughts and feelings. The distractions in my life, generated by my ego, have often been too great and too easily rationalized and justified. But I know that knowing about my neighbour, without loving my neighbour leaves me feeling empty, and on a big scale is destroying not just my own neighbourhood, but our nation. Living for two years in Belfast, where Christianity is the state religion, showed us to what extent religiosity and respectability get in the way of simply following the teaching and model of Jesus - the God who loved his enemies and serve and lived among those in need. But I’ve also learned that life, and my life in Vancouver, can be just as detached, self-absorbed, oblivious to other’s needs, and unresponsive as anywhere else. In Canada, despite three decades of secular and religious voices begging us to step past superficiality and hyper-independence, pleading with us to embrace serious issues in our culture and lifestyles, some change has actually come, but not a resurgence of the esteemed place of the poet in society – not yet. Demanding political reform and accountability without asking the same kinds of reforms from ourselves seems to be only hypocritical finger pointing. If a turn-around in being good neighbours, let alone justice issues, is going to be birthed, things will have to start to change in our homes - if we want it in Ottawa. So how do we cultivate Canada and see more truth-telling/truth-revealing poets sprout up?



Check our own pulse. It is easy to say, but we have to work hard to make more room in our lives for both the poetic and the prophetic people around us and in our culture. Many of us, myself included, need to let our hearts grow hungry for a fuller depiction and appreciation of the truth, as well as to be seeking real encounters, conversations, and deeper friendships with people. The prophetic and poetic voices in my life are also calling me daily, challenging me to pick a fight-to-the-death slugfest against superficiality and triviality, and to embrace the biggest of life’s issues. But other voices are saying quit, drop-out, resist, survive and be insular. But when I respond with courage and self-sacrifice, I taste more of the freedom and joy I so crave. Is thus such as mystery? Seems we are hardwired to feel good when we do good to others (even observe others doing good) – so why fight what's natural? But I often do (a serious subject for another time). But if more of us would actually live responsively and give time and attention to our neighbours, colleagues at work, and people in our community, perhaps we’ll all get in on the good life together, and Lewis’ words ring true in our hearts: “There is a kind of happiness and wonder that makes you serious.” Imagine a culture propelled forward by gratitude and enjoyment, and a sense of wonder – it’s not so easy, even when we try, to see transformation and growth in our own lives. You may say I’m a dreamer, but this is what poetry can nurture in us if we have an appetite for it. Our zero-calorie, low protein diet, cooked up by skeptics, cynics, contrarians, and postmodern sneerers has left us anaemic and weakened. The time is right for us to feast, celebrate life, and grow healthy as we pay attention to our poets.

Who should respond to poorer people?

...is amazed by Andre Bauer (Republican) quote on helping the poor: "My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that.”

Response: Wow! Is he saying (poorly) how not to fund and empower a welfare-state-of-mind, or is he really saying "let people starve since they cannot take care of themselves"? Or is he talking about the limited responsibility of national or local government? I don't think, despite their attempts, that any political party (Canadian or American) has the corner on charitable and humanitarian ventures - not sure they all see helping poorer people as essentially a political concern, but a social one. Some see this as the job of elected officials, where others see caring for our poorer neighbours as the job of everyone in our community, town, and city, and not the purpose of taxation. Some of us think that government workers should be the caregivers of poorer people, and that loving our neighbours needs to happen bureaucratically and through taxation and employment - not with personal concern, self-sacrifice, and local outreach by all the people of a community. I've never thought any government, in the history of the Western World, has done a great job of caring for its poorer citizens, especially people who suffer with mentally ill. I believe our biggest challenge is not with irresponsible government - but the biggest threat to the welfare of those in need of assistance is from within ourselves, with us, expecting someone else (government employees) to be missional, and to love our neighbours instead of us. It is time for people, especially Christians, to be more responsive and be truly counter-cultural, and stop passing the buck. Seems much of the political battles and finger-pointing is just dodging the call to be personally responsive - Christlike.

Perhaps we should ask the question: Are the best humanitarian "movements" more likely to be self-sacrificial social responses or government-run political reforms? Assuming a distinction can be made, we might divide what Wilberforce did between the two, but I think we can see from Jesus, and those inspired by him (Martin Luther King and Ghandi) that the climate that makes political reform possible is social responsiveness that finally gets like-minded people elected in. I'm not sure why, but one of my favourite movies is 'The Kingdom of Heaven'. The line: "It is a kingdom of conscience or nothing at all", makes me think that the issues and needs of our poorer people in our communities and cities needs to move from the abstract to deep within to our sense right and wrong, to justice and to reflection on some of the causes of marginalization, and to the condition of our own hearts, not away from us, past a pointing finger. Seems the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25-37) is all about not passing the buck, claiming responsibility for people and situations we did not influence or create - but are willing and resourced to simply embrace and help in any way possible. If there is anything beautiful about Christianity, beside God Himself and the mystery of His holiness and His self-sacrificing love, it is the strong, relentless, unflinching, Christ-like love of people.

Martyrdom, self-sacrifice, and the pursuit of happiness.

Question: “Christian martyrdom is the epitome of Christian Spirituality, why do many Christians feel that if they are happy it proves God loves them?”

Response: Interesting question – one that needs to be asked from every pulpit. I’m not too sure how people who don’t consider themselves Christians look at martyrdom, but it seems we in the Church often write our own definition of "blessing", taking from stories of people in the Bible (Abraham, David, Solomon, even Job) who had health, wealth and financial independence, and for some, maybe all of us to varying degrees, that spells happiness. Martyrdom is doing without (even unto death). In a consumerist, materialistic, individualistic Western World there is little recognition or appreciation of self-sacrifice - Mother Teresa is a type of hero, but not a practical role-model for us. Jesus' words "deny yourself" seems to be thought of as “deny yourself all that brings you happiness”, which is an unbearable proposition for us in the West – so we dispense with Mark 8:34-38. We won't even "martyr" a proportion of our bank accounts, and live simply, even to reach our own children and their generation with the gospel.

I'm part of a Church subculture where an older generation points its critical finger and calls for "commitment", but it is that older generation who have modelled workaholism, burnout, and divorce, and abandoned local mission and evangelism, and have often taken the path of least resistance on the road to personal health and wealth – instead of seeking out the mystery of the easy yoke and the narrow way. Renewal is missional. Renewal is embracing self-sacrifice, and for many there are no mentors and role models, just people with the baptised, worldly values of prosperity, security, and self-indulgence - where words like martyrdom have no meaning, and for many, Jesus dying on a cross has little connection with fidelity, honesty, purity, or even holding up and persevering under the burden of inconvenience or and the cross of discomfort for the sake of others. If we want to be part of a world that is shaped by God, and where His character is evident, we as the Western Church are going to have to change, and embrace local mission, evangelism, and church planting, alongside worship and fellowship – all five of these are what Jesus’ disciples did must define “Christian discipleship”. It is now our time to hear His call and follow His leadership – and live the life of disciples.

I believe, until this missional shift in discipleship happens, words like blessing and martyrdom have not the biblical connect to make much sense or to translate into much that is practical and a blessing to others. If martyrdom is doing something good for others (not just denying ourselves something pleasurable) and being killed for it, what self-sacrificial thing are we willing to do to let our light shine before others, so they see our good works and “give glory to (the) father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16)?

The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, & benefiting from a life of faith & virtue.

Question: I guess one question I have is: is it worth it? Recently watched the first Matrix again and it's presented well by the villain [with the sweet moustache]---if he had known it would have been so difficult---he would never have accepted Morpheus' enlightenment pill. Is it possible that we could set our eyes on something, make sacrifices to that end, and eventually get there after a lifetime and find out we were wrong?

Response: Have to remember that Cipher (Lu-cifer) gets deceived, whines about everything, is frustrated because he can't have Trinity's returned affection, betrays and tries to destroy Neo, and in the end get burned up by "fire" - the Wachowski brothers play with the details most creatively, and have done a great job of telling their take on the Christian story and person and mission of Jesus Christ (Neo is called "My saviour...my personal Jesus Christ" in about the 7th scene).

Certainty and self-judgement are tough issues.  One of the saddest things I come across is someone, in increasing years, who is completely messed up by their past failures, poor decisions and regrets (Cifer).  I think John Wesley was one of the few Christian leaders who got really bent over the issue of certainty (as well as his disciples I'm sure - Edwards has a much more biblical approach to the issue). Morpheus, not the Merovingian, was correct: it starts with choice (first God's, then ours) - that's why our choices haunt us, but the truth can set us free - to forgive, be forgiven, and move on. Living with the feeling of a clean conscience, not certainty, not only brings enjoyment and a type of satisfaction, but an ability to taste the good in just about everything and everyone. Peace with God is the key that opens the door to the undiscovered country. After losing four babies with Sarah, my life was changed when God asked me, "Is our relationship going to be based on me answering or not answering your questions?" Not unlike His response to Job's grief and consequent whining. Grief is normal and reasonable - the simple recognition of things not being as they should be in a perfect world (our innate knowledge of good and evil kicking in). That is entirely different from a life filled with blame (of ourselves and others) and regret (Cipher's experience of life), which is misery - we can only imagine what hell will be like.

Though 100% certainty is not the pay-off (perhaps just a false and elusive carrot/dream of Modernity), there is a tangible, aesthetical sweetness, or a "sense of being in the sweet-spot of living out our destiny", which can still be recognised, even vaguely, while in the darkest nights, foggiest-of-life-situations, places of deepest self-doubt - or hanging on a cross. There is never any going back, like Cipher hopes - the past (was an illusion in the sense of the Matrix) and is the same as the present and future - it only changes due to our changing emotions, behaviours, and perspectives. But despite the horror of the breaking news of personal, world-view loss, let alone the threat of a full collapse of "everything good and green", once Frodo (Lord of the Rings) knew the real meaning of the ring, he sensed there was only one thing to do - the greater good, amidst all the dangers and distractions, temptations, false-friendships, and the growing knowledge that his destiny would take his life along with his hope for peace, family and safety. But Frodo wishes the ring, and his personal responsibility, had never come to him. We are all little soldiers, uncertain of the biggest picture, but still having the choice to take the next step forward.

The more life-altering, self-shattering experiences we have, the clearer and more complex the big picture becomes, and subsequently the greater chance of peace (with God and life's circumstances), and the regular experience of joy through the simple things. Perspective comes with the surprising recognition of hidden goodness. If life is a paint-by-number picture that we all must paint, taking time to paint with the bright, living colours helps make sense of the dark shadows we have already got on our canvas. Regardless of the brush and colours of paint we are currently using, I have come to acknowledge it is still a good and beautiful piece of art we are working on. There is so much more light than darkness in this world. I take this by faith, not blind or unsubstantiated faith, but something both reasonable and experiential, if not fully describable. I love Aragorn's question to Gandalf, when the status of the whole mission (and Middle Earth) are in jeopardy because Frodo and Sam are moving forward unescorted by the fellowship..."What does your heart tell you?" Morpheus says that the reality of the Matrix has to be experienced to be understood... leaving slavery and embracing destiny and providence is an act of belief. All comes through perseverance and an eye towards the horizon and things to come in our 'now, but not yet' world.

The question that lingers for me is why is a pod racer's win not worth the life of TWO slaves? Seriously. But it wasn't, and Anakin (Star Wars) takes the path of judgement and revenge, not of humility, mercy and forgiveness, and starts down the slippery slope until his self-deception is complete, his paint-by-number is patent leather black... that is until Luke, seeing that there was still some good in him (like the image of God in all of us) offers him love, forgiveness, and a choice to do the right and good thing - which Vader embraces! If Cipher only had second thoughts and a desire to help his friends, and act for the good of all instead of selfishly (if Nietzsche had only seen strength and virtue in self-sacrifice, meekness and humility)... if Satan would only come to his senses, give up on his petty jealously and power-tripping, and embrace again his Creator.

So, after taking the (red) enlightenment pill, what does your heart tell you?