The Sound and Sense of Language

What's the longest speech you've ever listened to? Was it exciting or boring? Why? What makes a speech or sermon interesting to you? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1540).

Following two quotations from: How Does a Poem Mean? by John Ciardi
(http://www.csun.edu/~krowlands/Content/Academic_Resources/Poetry_Instruction/ciardi.pdf)

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"W.H. Auden was once asked what advice he would give a young man who wished to become a poet. Auden replied that he would ask the young man why he wanted to write poetry. If the answer was “because I have something important to say,” Auden would conclude that there was no hope for that young man as a poet. If on the other hand the answer was something like “because I like to hang around words and overhear them talking to one another,” then that young man was at least interested in a fundamental part of the poetic process and there was hope for him.

"When one “message-hunts” a poem (i.e., goes through the poem with no interest except in its paraphraseable content) he is approaching the writing as did the young man with “something important to say.” He is giving it the Wigglesworth treatment. The common question from which such an approach begins is “WHAT Does the Poem Mean?” His mind closed on that point of view, the reader tends to “interpret” the poem rather than to experience it, seeking only what he can make over from it into a prose statement (or Examination answer) and forgetting in the process that it was originally a poem."

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After English Class

I used to like “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
I liked the coming darkness,
The jingle of harness bells, breaking–and adding to–the
stillness,
The gentle drift of snow . . .

But today, the teacher told us what everything stood for.
The woods, the horse, the miles to go, the sleep–
They all have “hidden meanings.”

It’s grown so complicated now that,
Next time I drive by,
I don’t think I’ll bother to stop.

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The artificial divide between prose and poetry is very evident in speechmaking.  In a good speech "words play with one another" and the sound and sense of it are inextricable.  Prose too often means boring and, I'm tempted to say, bereft of joy and downright unimaginative--even lazy.  Poetry is not right brain and prose left brain.  Let us not forget the well traversed and abuzz corpus callosum.  Artificially enforced segregation of literary forms with sound on one side and sense on the other brings with it first agony then the somnolence of staid propriety.  The power of language is rooted in the loving interrelationship of sound and sense.

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On Creativity and Madness

As I mentioned several days ago I am taking a course in the Creative Process.  It's proving to be a course that is bringing me much joy.  We are learning the importance of empathy and community as well as paradoxically how leaving one's comfort zone and added diversity can augment the creative process.

I would like to share a couple of scenes from two of my favorite movies:



Zorba the Greek





Man of La Mancha

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Free Indeed

In what way has God set you free to honor him more fully? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1539).

This is a question greatly open to errors of presumption. With the priceless gift of political freedom as found in my beloved country, the presumption can be that one is free on all accounts. This can be a serious error for there are literally countless ways to be enslaved spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually.  Intellectually our perception can be encroached on all sides by false assumptions. Emotionally we can be enthralled by sentimentality and sensationalism, or laid waste by fatigue. Spiritually we can be hopelessly lost in desert country. Yet, when God sets us free, we are free indeed. For then we do not serve man, but God. Thus the principle danger presented to the human species of enslavement to what other people think is greatly ameliorated. The most important manifestation of this freedom is not in huge earth-shattering issues, but in many small perceptions and decisions in everyday life--in myriad existential moments.  Regard for the opinion of mankind can amount to indentured servitude when we become its toady and robot-like forsake beneficent truth and compassion. Then enslavement is less in the form of iron shackles than in clammy self-induced spiritual, emotional, and intellectual death.

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The Sacred/Secular Horn of Plenty

What is necessary for you to feel "one in heart and mind" with a church fellowship?
a. They can't act super-religious.
b. It needs to be a place where I can honestly question things.
c. They have to show they care by their actions.
d. They need to stand firm for the things I believe.
e. They have to let me be myself.
f. They have to be Christ-centered.
(Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1537). 

 
It first of all must be Christ-centered in the sense that Christ represented perfect sacrifice and holy love and courageously lived it as a discipline.  It must realize that the essence of Christ was to bring redemptive power to fallen humanity as chronically plagued by the continued negative impact upon mankind of the seven deadly sins arising in essence from fear and insecurity.  A persistent manifestation of this is the judgmental self-righteousness and legalism that arise with ingenious permutations of ancient anxieties which fulminate and confound each and every generation.  Of especial concern in our time is the tired old arrogances (escapisms and idolatries) of humanism, relativism, materialism, and Faustian scientism. 

The church fellowship in which I feel "one in heart and mind" will have the respect for truth, beauty, integrity, and creativity found in the arts and sciences.  It will have deep respect for the space and the disciplines necessary for individual growth and development.

Now, let's jump to the chase.  What about homosexuality and other lifestyle issues?  In matters of sexuality and other explosive issues we must allow for space, integrity, and truth.  We must never destroy individuals in the name of destroying sin, and we must never discount pain however well camouflaged. As for spiritual truth vis-a-vis scientific truth, humility demands synthetic accommodation for God's creation is holistic.

In many ways, churches should be a "safe house"--a sanctuary in which assumptions and social patterns can be honestly questioned within an environment of love and respect.  In our hallowed creative colloquiums, nothing should surprise us for if the Scriptures instruct us as to the perfection of God, they just as faithfully remind us of the cornucopia of human nonsense, foibles, and tragic flaws balanced--indeed more than balanced--by the fruition of redemption, creativity, and Christ's holy grace.

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The Sound and the Fury

 

President Obama recently negotiated to trade 5 prisoners of war held by the U.S. for one of our soldiers held by our adversaries.  A cacophony of criticism ensured with every possible craven motive impugned to Barack.  In all the charges, I never heard this rationale once offered as a possibility--is it at all possible that President Obama took the matter to the Lord in prayer, sought direction, and felt led by conscience to do what he did?  And what if he did?  My advice to Obama would be to never mention it, for of all rationales he could give, this would be the most unacceptable in a country greatly satisfied with its own certain devoutness.

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Upward and Onward

What two phrases sum up your goal for the past year? How does this relate to God's purposes? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1518).

Two phrases sum up my goal for the past year:

• Retire successfully--without getting fired first.

• For this new chapter in my life, successfully launch a new stage--transcend the sadness of life's final chapters with joy.

On the first count (not getting fired), though sometimes by the "skin of my teeth" and with the compassion of my boss and manager, I was able to make it happen; though my frankness regarding certain matters made it doubtful on occasions.

Secondly, the retirement stage launched a new reading campaign dealing with joy and creativity.  I read several books allegedly dealing with the anatomy of the mind but in fact touching on very basic spiritual matters.  I am more certain than ever that a God above--the Great Creator--intervenes in all our lives; and much more is going on in human affairs mentally than can be circumferenced by a single brainpan or even a gaggle of them--no matter how self-willed and purblind the brains in question happen to discern their own vaunted capacities.

I go on in complete confidence that God will successfully complete his purpose for my life, and this pleases me greatly.

 
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The Creative Process

How do you desire joy? How do you experience it? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1518).

Creativity is intelligence having fun.
 ~~Albert Einstein (http://www.joyofquotes.com)

 

Today I begin a 3 1/2 credit hour course on the creative process.  It is being offered at Eckerd College, Tampa Campus, and runs for two months.  Our first assignment before attending the first class is to make a sizable free standing sign, creatively done, with our name in big letters and otherwise identifying who we uniquely are.  I chose to use GIMP 2 (a free Photoshop type program) and Microsoft Publisher.  Now the nifty thing is that I am not a master of either program, though I have had a novice's introduction to layers and various editing tools.  These limitations serve to reveal an important aspect of creativity--creativity is born of limitations--great joy is found redeeming an array of limitations transmuting them with focal intensity into assets through a process of trial and error, iteration, judgement, serendipity, and patience.  That is, if there were no limitations of the artist or material, one could be "perfect" right off the bat.  But this is never the way it is for me.  There is a whole gauntlet of tradeoffs, deadends, wrong turns, and compromises--all summoning my judgment and eventual joy when measured victory transcends the jaws of defeat.  I have a feeling that this applies pretty much across the board in all fields; and if it does not, one is not pushing the envelope and reaping the joy and gratification exploration and discovery provide.

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