Christian poetry has been defined as “any poetry that contains Christian teachings, themes, or references. The influence of Christianity on poetry has been great in any area that Christianity has taken hold. Christian poems often directly reference the Bible, while others provide allegory.”
This definition, to me, sounds too narrow. Jesus Christ, in Matthew 11:28, says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Seeing that almost the whole adult world fits the descriptions “burdened” and “weary”, the universality of his message is unmistakable. It speaks to us all. Ipso facto, so does “Christian poetry”.
Renowned writer Nick Twinamatsiko tapped into this universality to write his first book of verse, Till The Promised Land and other poems. His couplets in the first stanza of the poem “May I Forever Do My Best” lend credence to this poetic direction.
“May I forever do my best,
As, in my God, I find my rest,
May I forever find my thrill,
In doing only His will.”
The end rhymes - rhyming of the last word in each line—in this quatrain (four line stanza) have the aural effect of a song. You can sing this like it belongs to the book of psalms. It is this lyricality that adds to the accessibility of the poem by not only highlighting the persona’s determination to do his best by God, but by the balladry of the diction, too.
“I Want To See You,” the persona says in the poem on page 27.
“Through the mists of trials,
Let me see you;
And in the thrills of victory,
Let me not lose sight of you.”
When you promise me good,
Keep me from seeking your promise,
Instead of seeking your face;
Help me to keep my eyes on your face
As my hands receive from your hands.”
The first stanza calls us to be faithful during tough times and grateful in better times. This balance helps us appreciate that there is an intelligent, loving design to our lives. And this design threads together a coat of many colours, as it were, as our birthright to a life of many seasons.
We must be steadfast, believing in every promise of the Lord. This way we shall see Him, beyond the unsightliness of the times.
It is an inspirational poem. For as sure as you shall face obstacles, God’s love shall surmount them. Knowing this is not only comforting, it is empowering.
In the poem “What Steals Your Peace?” the persona speaks to a “grand destiny” which shall justify all the challenges in our path, if those challenges are God-given. The idea here is to remind the reader that no matter what they are going through, God is with them.
The author acknowledges that “Life is often a steep slope/And we must increase the gears,/If the vehicle speed is to stay the same;/It is often the turbulent sea,/And we must increase our efforts, if the boat is not to capsize.”
The use of metaphors “vehicle” and “boat” are indicative that life is a journey whose destination lies in our salvation. This heavenly glory must be recalled when one’s peace is stolen. It may be anything that sinks one’s mood, but nothing should keep it sunk. That is because God will not let that happen, if you let Him into your heart.
In doing so, you also accept your civic responsibilities. As the author says in the poem, Love for God:
“Let us have love in our eyes
To see the beggar by the street;
Let our ears be sharpened by love
To hear the cry of the oppressed;
Let our hearts be opened by love
To the plight of the powerless.”
