Flight of Four: Prayers in the Form of Poetry
You know when you read a book, and then another book comes to mind (for whatever reason) and you want everyone to read one and then the other? It's like "if you loved this book, you'll love this one too!" Well this post (and hopefully all the others that follow in this new series) is exactly that -- a bit of bookish matchmaking, with four books that have something specific in common.
Here's the deal, really: I want to share more bookish posts with you loyal blog readers, and I thought sharing "book flights" (or a few books of a similar theme, thread, style, genre, etc) periodically would be a short and sweet way to do so!
There will be some kind of topic, there will be four books, there will be brief intros to each one, and that will be that! Slightly different tastes under one big umbrella, with different notes and undertones and flavors (how far can I take this food metaphor, do you think?). So anyway-- bon appetit.
(If really what you want is just monthly book reviews, don't worry, those can be found here.)
Here we go!
Today's flight of four: prayers in the form of poetry
Leavings: Poems by Wendell Berry // Berry is one of my all-time favorite authors (and poets) and this collection was the first thing I read from him. His simple yet intricate words struck deep chords in me as he tackled topics I feel strongly about with such elegance.
Felicity by Mary Oliver // Oh, Mary Oliver. The queen of poetry (if you ask me). These poems are delightful, rich, and moving.
A Cry for Mercy: Prayers from the Genesee by Henri J. M. Nouwen // This book has brought me to my knees and brought me to tears more times than I can count. When I first opened it, I started reading the first prayer aloud to myself, and I was stunned by how much it moved me. Reading Nouwen's incredibly honest and real prayers has been powerful and humbling and I have loved reading through this one. Each page is underlined and starred and I keep rereading lines over and over because I love the way they flow and beckon me to pour my heart out to my Father.
Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle by Ted Loder // I first heard one of these poems when it was read as part of worship at my church, and I was brought to tears by the power of it. This collection is stunning, incredibly rich, and lines from these poems have lingered with me for many months.
ps-- affiliate links are included here (as they usually are when books are shared) -- thanks in advance for any and all support of this little blog!