“A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or a love sickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”
— Robert Frost
At my mother’s funeral I told a story about when I was a kid and doing something I wasn’t supposed to.
I was out with a friend in our neighborhood. We were on roller blades and we were specifically told to not go down the big hill, so of course, we went right to the big hill. I was cocky and daring and with a wink and a grin shot myself down the hill. I quickly realized I was completely out of control. I had no way to stop and my speed just kept picking up.
As I careened down the hillside my mother was turning the bend, on her way back from a walk with the dogs. As she saw me, she dropped the leashes and ran right in front of me, arms outstretched. I couldn’t avoid her - she didn’t intend for me to.
I crashed right into her. She broke my fall and I was safe, brushing myself off without a scratch. She, on the other hand, needed to go to the hospital for stitches.
When I read
’s poem for the love, I saw my own mother in that poem.“and isn’t that
what Mothers do?”
Poetry has a unique way of claiming those hard and deep feelings, those things that we simply cannot say in conversation, sometimes not even out loud to ourselves. It reclaims what is difficult and makes it beautiful, turns it into a song on the page, something with rhythm and purpose.
I was so delighted and honored to read fellow Substack writer Grace E. Kelley’s debut poetry collection, As the Sparrow Flies, and as I read it, I was flooded with emotions, some difficult, some tender and hopeful.
It doesn’t matter if our experiences or memories are different, there is an opportunity in poetry to reach across the page and say (as C.S. Lewis said) You too? I thought I was the only one. The basis for friendship, certainly, but also for shared humanity.
In college I read the confessional poets (you all know I adore Sylvia Plath) and realized that poetry could both be high art and a form of therapy (sometimes simultaneously). This ‘therapeutic aspect’ of poetry is often dismissed in academic circles. Anne Sexton, Plath’s contemporary/sometimes competitor, for example, is still often decried as an ‘unserious’ poet - too emotional, too little formal training.
But to me poetry is so clearly an opportunity for emotional purging, for grappling with the primal human emotions - despair, love, hope, grief. This seems in the greatest of traditions - the Psalmists both praised and raged at God through poetry and song.
And Grace E. Kelley writes in this same tradition, grappling with the difficulties of love and loss, holding it all gently and tenderly, and ultimately handing it to her readers - ‘here - this is for you, too.’
I was honored to speak with Grace - we discuss farming, Shakespeare, healing, art, not being embarrassed by our teenage poetry, and why some things may just never be okay this side of Heaven.
I hope you enjoy our conversation and I highly recommend following Grace’s writing and reading her book!
*There is discussion of sexual abuse and birth trauma in this episode.
if you prefer to listen to this podcast elsewhere, just search Born of Wonder on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts!
Grace E. Kelley is a follower of Jesus, a wife, and mother of five small children, including a set of twins. She writes poetry and stories—both fictional and non-fictional. She is also a farmer, a foodie, an unrepentant mug addict, and a deep believer that incredible beauty can come from the compost heap. As the Sparrow Flies, is her debut poetry publication.
You can buy her first book of poetry here, or on Amazon, or wherever you buy books.
I’m leading a pilgrimage to Ireland with
THIS October, 2024! Come join us for a magical tour through the Emerald Isle complete with good drinks, holy sights, hiking, traditional music, famous libraries, and kindred spirits ready to explore, celebrate, pray, and wonder together.If you need 10 reasons to go, enjoy this fun post from Christy. She’ll convince you!
Download the brochure / Commonly asked questions / Sign up!
Visit www.bornofwonder.com and find Born of Wonder the podcast on podbean, iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
Connect with me for audio support, podcast consultation, museum and memory making initiatives, soundscapes, or voiceovers by visiting www.mediamarqcreative.com.
Contact me anytime at: marquettekatie@gmail.com
Finding Healing, Grace, and Hope Through Poetry