Poetry and Life (WFU Pastor's School),
Abstract
Description
Dr. Wilson delivered a series of four lectures on the theme of "Poetry and Life" to participants at WFU Pastor's School.
The first lecture began with a discussion of why Dr. Wilson chose to focus his talks on 20th century poets who had seen the effects of modern science and warfare on faith. Dr. Wilson then discussed six poems focused on the love of nature and the love of man, but the recording is incomplete and ends after the first two poems: (i) "Still" by A. R. Ammons, and (ii) "i thank You God for this amazing" by e e cummings.
The second lecture began by discussing the secular nature of modern poetry and noting that the Christmas season is unique in calling many people to rituals and songs of faith. Dr. Wilson began with commentary on the lyrics of several popular Christmas carols and then read and discussed six poems, of which the incomplete recording includes only four: (i) "The Mother of God" by William Butler Yeats, (ii) "The Annunciation" by Edwin Muir, (iii) "Carol" by Louis MacNeice, and (iv) "Christmas Eve" by A. R. Ammons.
The third lecture focused on works about institutional churches, and began with reflections on how institutional religious participation had become less common. The recording then includes reading and discussion of the following poems: (i) "Church Going" by Philip Larkin, (ii) "In Westminster Abbey" by Sir John Betjeman, and (iii) "Diary of a Church Mouse" by Sir John Betjeman (incomplete).
In the fourth lecture Dr. Wilson focused on poems offering thoughts about the afterlife. The recording includes readings and discussions of: (i) "Come Holy Spirit" by Czesław Miłosz, (ii) "A Song on the End of the World" by Czesław Miłosz, (iii) "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" by Dylan Thomas, and (iv) "Seven Stanzas at Easter" by John Updike.
Keywords
Wilson, Edwin Graves