Backward Mutters

  • Bless God

    Bless God

    Psalm 134 is the last of the collection of songs in the Bible’s book of Psalms called the Songs of Ascent. These songs serve as a guide or a map of the life of faith, whose destination is the presence of God. The psalms were sung by pilgrims on their…

  • What Fellowship?

    What Fellowship?

    I am continuing my current project of writing a series of poems based on the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). The Songs of Ascent are a collection of songs intended to guide the pilgrim in their upward ascent to God. They are traveling songs meant to encourage, challenge, and console…

  • The Seed

    The Seed

    Here is a sonnet about what happens when one reads poetry. If it’s helpful, you may listen to me read the sonnet via the player below. Like seed broadcast by a sower’s throw Are the words which poets scatter around, And those words, now dormant, will only grow When received…

  • Our Strength

    Our Strength

    This is another poem based upon Psalm 126 which is a Song of Ascent. If it’s helpful, you may listen to me read the poem via the player below. Our strength is not in “being upbeat”. Is not our performance record It’s not our popularity, being greeted on the street…

  • Not Use

    Not Use

    A roundel regarding a rejection letter received from a journal for a recent poetry submission. If helpful, you may listen to me read the poem via the player below. “Not use”, your note, written back to me On my poem by which I deduce That your statement of merit, impartial…