Saturday Sleep

Lent Book Club: 5th March 2022

“Genuine religion, as expressed in this poem, is based not only on the belief that God goes on seeking us out but also on honest self-knowledge,” Richard Harries

So I took my pills, fed the cat and then went back to bed to doze while half-listening to “Saturday Live” on BBC Radio 4 (featuring a tractor-pulling Beauty Queen and a Chef de cuisine who’s given up shouting). Just before returning upstairs, I had a little look at today’s poem suggestion: “Lachrimae amantis” by Geoffrey Hill. I reckoned I might mull it over while having my customary Saturday lie-in.

It is not an easy read and I agreed with Bishop Harries’s description of Mr Hill’s poetry as “notoriously difficult.” A quick glance at the last line and I am thinking ‘tomorrow I shall wake to welcome him.’

Now it is early afternoon, I have coffee and I am taking a second look at what is described as “surprisingly accessible”. I have read the poem again; read the commentary, and read it once more.

Finally, this poem speaks to me. To oversimplify it asks: Why does God love me? What is it about me that brings God to me? The question is not answered but there is a whispering angel who says that “your lord is coming, he is close”. Meanwhile the poet admits to only being half-faithful and drowsy. This is not a diligent and busy servant actively changing the world: there is more ‘promise and remorse’ than that.

To put it another way: having a lie-in? not as wholewhearted in your faith as you should be? God loves you nonetheless and is coming to you.

This year #LentBookClub are reading “Hearing God in Poetry. Fifty poems for Lent and Easter” by Richard Harries published by SPCK. In this book Bishop Harries introduces us to a number of poets and poems. Some may be familiar, some are old and some are new. You may follow the # on Twitter or find us on Facebook.