poetry
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A Sonnet for Finding Delight in Diligence
Do you ever have days when getting through your regular routine feels like a triumph of the human spirit? When leaving the office or studio makes you want to scream like Tim Robbins at the end of The Shawshank Redemption? I am at the end of a busy season filled with choir concerts, church services, Continue reading
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“O Come, O Come, Behold Emmanuel”: A Sonnet for Good Friday
I was reflecting on the “O Antiphons” today, those ancient prayers that inspired the familiar Advent carol, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” As it is Good Friday, though, I began to wonder how the Messianic titles of the “O Antiphons” might inform a consideration of the cross. As so often happens, this contemplative exercise produced Continue reading
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A Poem for the Day after Palm Sunday
I recently saw the sharp contrast between Palm Sunday and Passion Week described as “liturgical whiplash,” which seems just about right. The day following Palm Sunday always leaves me contemplative, struck anew by the fickleness of the crowd as they turn from cheering to jeering, from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him!” But because we know how Continue reading
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Review: “The Soul in Paraphrase” by Leland Ryken
I am deep in a study of pastors who were also poets. The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems by Leland Ryken has proven to be not only a helpful resource for this project, but a devotional source that I anticipate enjoying for years to come. About The Soul in Paraphrase takes Continue reading
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Review: The Story of Grace
I returned from a much-needed vacation in Arizona to the best sort of mail: book mail! The first book I dove into was The Story of Grace: An Exhibition of God’s Love by 19th-century Scottish poet and pastor Horatius Bonar. This reprint of a Christian classic provided marvelous devotional reading, particularly for the beginning of Continue reading
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“Stop”: Christmas Lyrics Based on the Book of Job
Earlier this autumn, I got to play Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living with one of the choirs I accompany. I’ve written before about how much I love playing Forrest’s music. A pianist himself, he writes choral music that requires accompanists to be genuine collaborators. His piano parts tend to be equal parts intuitive—fitting perfectly Continue reading
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Early Christmas Gifts + Road Trip Entertainment
Happy Thanksgiving week! Since this week marks the start of the Christmas season for many of us, I wanted to share a few recommendations to get you in the holiday spirit and—for those of you who are traveling—to help pass the hours. In the spirit of early Christmas, I’d like to give you a few Continue reading
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Core Memories, Weird Hobbies, and a High-Brow Christmas Bop
In graduate school, I was plunged into the deep end as my peers casually threw around words like “apophatic” and I wondered what on earth I’d gotten myself into. Fortunately, I found my footing and had a wonderful experience after that initial disorientation. One of my professors, an expert on theology and music, was known Continue reading
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Autumn’s Lament: A Sonnet
It’s been a bit since I’ve shared any poetry, but my oak trees are crimsoning so I couldn’t resist scribbling a sonnet about the beauty of autumn, the ugliness of dying, and the hope of resurrection. And yes, “crimsoning” is a word. Isn’t it lovely? It conveys the progressive blush of the autumn foliage and Continue reading
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Finding Comfort in Smallness: Lessons Among the Oak Trees
I needed to go stand beneath my oak trees today, to be reminded of my smallness. No, to be reassured of my smallness. You see, I spend the bulk of my days alone: tidying my house, running, practicing music, planning services, reading, and, of course, writing. I love my life. It is ideally suited to Continue reading
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Publication Update – The Common Table
I’m happy to report that my poem, “Holy Saturday,” was recently published in Covenant Seminary’s student magazine, The Common Table. You can read my work and that of my peers at the following link: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/68689962/the-common-table-issue-8 Continue reading
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Crushed – Poetry as a Holy Week Discipline
I’m convinced that if you ponder any aspect of Scripture long enough, you’ll discover a poem waiting to be written. Not that I believe this sonnet of mine is all that great, but writing it was a devotional act. Imagining the withering fronds abandoned after the Triumphal Entry propelled me deeper into the narrative. Regardless Continue reading
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Ryanne Molinari 