mrteague

As Kingfishers Catch Fire

This week, I watched a video about understanding poetry (yes, poets need help with that too 😆). The example poem was “As Kingfishers Catch Fire” by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Hopkins has been a favorite of mine for a number of years, but I never chanced across this particular poem. There are so many things toContinueContinue reading “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”

This Box of Old Things

Photo from YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado As I write this, I am in Estes Park, Colorado. My son does online school through Wilson Hill Academy. My daughter also attended Wilson Hill. Over the years, we have enjoyed the Christ-centered focus, the loving culture, and the depth of education Wilson Hill offers. EachContinueContinue reading “This Box of Old Things”

Stare

In the late 19th century, the Symbolist poets began a movement against naturalism and realism in writing. The Symbolists preferred the power of imagination, dreams, visions, and the like. I’ve never subscribed to any school of poetry. As a writer, my interests are too diverse. I like traditional and experimental forms; I’m a fan ofContinueContinue reading “Stare”

The Selfie of Dorian Gray

The Selfie of Dorian GrayWhen they found him, they couldn’t believe it.He was slumped to one side, clutching a tablet.His last selfie, posted the day before,showed a slim man with smooth, clear skin.The caption read, “Lost 20 pounds and never felt better!”A string of atta boy-s followed in the comments.The man in front of themContinueContinue reading “The Selfie of Dorian Gray”

Your Old Men Will Dream Dreams

We are incurable night owls in my family. Still, even we can stay up TOO late sometimes and suffer sleepiness the next day. Today is that day for me. When deciding what to post today, all I could think of was that I felt tired, which reminded me of a poem I wrote recently: “YourContinueContinue reading “Your Old Men Will Dream Dreams”

PAWS 4

It’s been awhile since I posted a cat poem. And we know what happens if cats don’t feel appreciated (or at least we can imagine…). So, as an offering to their vanity, I give you PAWS 4, which appeared in my chapbook Cat Show and my newest book The Anonymity of Waiting. PAWS 4Sometimes,all youContinueContinue reading “PAWS 4”

Grief Is

Grief is familiar to any of us who have been around for more than five minutes. But it is also one of the most complex things we experience. The many variables involved make it so: different causes, personalities, social norms, religious (or non-religious) beliefs, the time of day, and what you had for lunch canContinueContinue reading “Grief Is”

Tuba Mirum (Wonderful Trumpet)

“Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” This exchange is traditionally heard between Christians of all stripes on Easter. Later this year, I plan to self-publish Voiceless Choirs: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. This book will include a series of poems based on Mozart’s Requiem Mass. Requiem masses are Catholic funeral services and include themesContinueContinue reading “Tuba Mirum (Wonderful Trumpet)”

Death, be not proud

With Easter approaching, the Christian hope of resurrection is on my mind. This means poems about resurrection are also on my mind. John Donne’s poem, “Death, be not proud” is a favorite sonnet of mine in which he tells death, “You ain’t all that.” After comparing death to sleep and other temporary forms of drowsiness,ContinueContinue reading “Death, be not proud”

The Wound

“The Wound” is a poetic retrospective of coming to know God from my third book, Shadow and Memory. It will also be in an upcoming book, Voiceless Choirs: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Voiceless Choirs is a collection of new and previously published poems that center on Christian spirituality. Right now, I am working withContinueContinue reading “The Wound”