On the hope-in-hell (1) side of things, I am piecing together an application for an NEA fellowship. That means I have to put together ten pages of poetry -- I've decided on ten pages from Seal up the Thunder. Now, how to put it together -- ten poems in two or three very different flavours, covering huge sweeps of ground (2). How to do that without being choppy? Or does one just chop away?
Anyway, I'm taking suggestions and nominations for favourite poems from this list.
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(1) there is, of course, no hope in hell; that is hell's definition. however, it would not surprise me to find that hell has paperwork and granting committees. I've recently been assured by my fellow internet-savvy Christians that I will get the chance to find out, so I'll try to let you know.
(2) or, "huge tracts of land." And if that made you laugh you can come to hell with me.
Here are my nominations from your list, in no particular order. There are 11 here.
After the flood
Ezekiel and the bones
Leah names her sons
The Book of Wisdom
Proverbs 30
Bone Pastor
Suffrage to water
Oh the gates
De Profundis
Like a stranger
Guess I'm coming too, Erin!
Haha!
My list of ten, assuming in all cases you prefer your revisions:
Bone Pastor
Leah Names her Sons
Proverbs 30
Babel
Job's Plea
After the Flood
(there is an oracle in my heart)
While the Earth Remains
(like a stranger I have stood by the world amazed)
(yours is the day)
Here are my 10 picks
Leah Names Her Sons
Proverbs 30
Sufferage to Water
Lord What I Cannot Say (Psalm 32)
There is an oracle in my heart(Psalm 36)
While the earth
Scraps and Velvet
Yours is the Day
Like a Stranger
Psalm 141
Everybody likes "Proverbs 30" ...?!?
Why is this surprising? Do you not like it? I think it's one of the best of the bunch.
Of course hell has granting committees, and interview committees and every variety of committee. From whence did you think committees came?
Good luck. The hope isn't as hopeless as you think. I've done a few years on the NEH awards committee and you'd be surprised, sometimes, how thin the competition is!