I heard this poem on the radio a few years ago on the Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor. I did not understand it well and tried to find out about its author. Could not find much, only that Kaylin was born in 1947, the daughter of a preacher and had been a believer since she was a wee girl. It sounds to me like she wrote it when she was a teenager, but if not, she is good a giving an air of innocence to her poem. For a Christian poem, it’s kind of off-beat I think (but I am not a connoisseur.)
I wouldn't call it a Christian poem -- the Christian concept of God is male. And like Jim, I'm not a believer but I love the idea of a Deity who says Yes rather than No.
Vicki, I have lived in Georgia for decades, and here when they see the word God they know it is Christian, whether you call him Him or Her! I would not call God a Deity – at least not around here… they don't mess with other ideas or concepts. I live 3 miles from an elementary school in Kennesaw and the parents are trying to ban yoga classes for the kids because they think yoga is a religion and they are afraid it will hurt the children's Christian indoctrination … maybe they are more tolerant in NC? Maybe?
W.Stranger -- I read it at your house and loved it. Got a copy and ended up giving it away.I need to get another.
Vagabonde -- NC, alas, as a whole is pretty intolerant. There are enlightened pockets here and there but the Republicans in charge in Raleigh are awful. I read about the yoga thing -- ridiculous. But our schools are just as bad -- afraid to teach the children the least bit about other religions (especially Islam) for fear of non-Christian "indoctrination." (They don;t worry about Christian indoctrination.)
Here on our side of the mountains, the ACLU investigated the school board several years ago for opening the public meetings with a prayer. The head of the school board argued that they did not discriminate. That they used preachers from all religions...Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, and Presbyterian. When the ACLU attorney mentioned that all the prayers ended with "we ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" she responded that was the way all prayers end.
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I heard this poem on the radio a few years ago on the Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor. I did not understand it well and tried to find out about its author. Could not find much, only that Kaylin was born in 1947, the daughter of a preacher and had been a believer since she was a wee girl. It sounds to me like she wrote it when she was a teenager, but if not, she is good a giving an air of innocence to her poem. For a Christian poem, it’s kind of off-beat I think (but I am not a connoisseur.)
I am not a believer but if I was I would rather have a loving kind woman as a God than a wrathful, vengeful male god.
I wouldn't call it a Christian poem -- the Christian concept of God is male. And like Jim, I'm not a believer but I love the idea of a Deity who says Yes rather than No.
I think you would enjoy "God got a dog" by Cynthia Rylant, the noted children's author. We did.
Vicki, I have lived in Georgia for decades, and here when they see the word God they know it is Christian, whether you call him Him or Her! I would not call God a Deity – at least not around here… they don't mess with other ideas or concepts. I live 3 miles from an elementary school in Kennesaw and the parents are trying to ban yoga classes for the kids because they think yoga is a religion and they are afraid it will hurt the children's Christian indoctrination … maybe they are more tolerant in NC? Maybe?
W.Stranger -- I read it at your house and loved it. Got a copy and ended up giving it away.I need to get another.
Vagabonde -- NC, alas, as a whole is pretty intolerant. There are enlightened pockets here and there but the Republicans in charge in Raleigh are awful. I read about the yoga thing -- ridiculous. But our schools are just as bad -- afraid to teach the children the least bit about other religions (especially Islam) for fear of non-Christian "indoctrination." (They don;t worry about Christian indoctrination.)
I love this poem.
Here on our side of the mountains, the ACLU investigated the school board several years ago for opening the public meetings with a prayer. The head of the school board argued that they did not discriminate. That they used preachers from all religions...Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, and Presbyterian. When the ACLU attorney mentioned that all the prayers ended with "we ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" she responded that was the way all prayers end.
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