Idiot Psalms: new
poems by Scott Cairns
Glimpsing the nature of religion poetically is a calling
that Scott Cairns has taken up with vim and vigor. In his new book of poems, Idiot Psalms, he seeks to capture the
weight of a psalmist and the feeling of the congregant in his midst. These poems evoke a playful seriousness that
keeps the reader coming back for more, or in my case, coming back to read the
same poem over and over again. Cairns
enters into the natural world of lightning and thunder as well as the
perplexing study of theology in his poems, combining the natural with the
supernatural which enlivens the imagination of its readers.
Two poems had their red laser pointers on me as I read
through this wonderful collection. In
First Storm and Thereafter, Cairns writes clearly about the lighting and
thunder.
‘What
I notice first within
This
rough scene fixed
in
memory is the rare
quality
of its lightning, as if
those
bolts were clipped
from
a comic book, pasted
on
low cloud, or fashioned
with
cardboard, daubed
with
gilt, then hung overhead
on
wire and fine hooks.’ (14)
The juxtaposition of a rough scene that is fixed in memory had my
attention at once. The rough scene due
to the memory’s emotional cadences of light from the sky and the moaning of the
thunder was apparent. And yet, the scene
was fixed in memory due to the rarity of the quality of its lightning. Like the rare quality of a Ken Griffey Jr.
rookie card, this type of memory is almost unbelievable. Scott describes the lightning as bolts from a
comic book, daubed with gilt, as if the radiance of their appearance is so
vivid as from another world. The many
storms after this enigmatic one fall to the floor in comparison. Cairns paints the beauty of the natural world
here with brush strokes infused with a comedic spirit.
In his poem And Why Theology?, Cairns dives into the depths of the theologians
scalpel while illuminating the disturbing mysteries he produces on the
page.
“Theology
is a distinctly rare, a puzzling
study,
given that its practitioners are happiest when the terms
of
their discovery fall well short of their projected point; this
is
where they likely glimpse their proof.
Rare as well
is
the theologian’s primary stipulation that all that is explicable
is
somewhat less than interesting.” (17)
Cairns points to the inescapable fact that theologians often bite off
more than they can chew, digest, and translate to the reader. Yet, it is in this grasping for a discovery
of the truth that mystery remains. If we
could have mastery over the truth of God’s Word and world, would there be any
reason to write of such things? The
answer for the great thinkers and philosophers of God would be nay. And, this, for Cairns, leads us back to the
point, can theology and its minions of truth bear to hold God together like a
master artist beholds a canvas? The
subject is not only more expansive than initially thought, but designed to
capture one’s attention always.
These poems are a delight to your eyes. I know you won’t be remiss in
reading these confounding words.
Thanks to Paraclete Press for the copy of this book in exchange for
review.
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