Antidote to dullness

 I was reading the May 18 2026 print issue of The Christian Science Monitor. Pages 40-41 feature a poem by e.e. cummings (1894-1962) and an essay by Todd R. Nelson. 

The poem is just wonderful. Here it is:

in Just-

spring     when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles     far      and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it's 

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far     and     wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump rope and

it's

spring

and

    the

      goat-footed

balloonMan     whistles

far

and wee

In the accompanying essay, Todd Nelson describes his first encounter with this poem in the seventh grade. He writes: "I look back on that poem as a starting line. I heard the call to poetry... I began to understand that a poet is describing the world, experience, or concepts in a way that antidotes dullness, commonness, and indifference; that stretches the possibilities of language; that sings and beckons. A poem is a discrete vessel of clarity and understanding."

Have a puddle-wonderful day!

Julie Swannell

Woman's Rights

 Some years ago in Queensland the Premier’s wife, Florence Bjelke-Petersen, was elected to be a Senator in the Federal Parliament. 

She was a religious person, and I felt she would need spiritual support in taking on this responsibility. She was more famous for her Pumpkin Scones than her politics!

So I sent her a copy of Mary Baker Eddy’s poem Woman’s Rights. Here are the words:

WOMAN’S RIGHTS

Grave on her monumental pile:

She won from vice, by virtue’s smile,

Her dazzling crown, her sceptred throne,

Affection’s wreath, a happy home;

 

The right to worship deep and pure,

To bless the orphan, feed the poor;

Last at the cross to mourn her Lord,

First at the tomb to hear his word:

 

To fold an angel’s wings below;

And hover o’er the couch of woe;

To nurse the Bethlehem babe so sweet,

The right to sit at Jesus’ feet;

 

To form the bud for bursting bloom,

The hoary head with joy to crown;

In short, the right to work and pray,

“To point to heaven and lead the way.”

Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, pp. 388:14 - 389:4

I had a very gracious reply from Mrs. Bjelke-Petersen in which she acknowledged Mrs. Eddy’s place. I am sorry that I didn’t keep a record of that reply.

Joyce Voysey

Immediate Action

"The thread that traces the history of man's worship of God is spun of many strands. One of the longest, perhaps the strongest, is poetry." – from the Forward to Ideas on Wings (Christian Science Publishing Society, 1978)

One poem that has inspired and encouraged me is by Marcella Krisel. I'll share the first half here, but I would encourage you to find it on jsh-online.com or ask for a copy from your local Christian Science Reading Room.

Believe me—it wasn't easy

by Marcella Krisel from The Christian Science Journal, January 1977

---

For far too long
I played host to a problem
That I thought was up to me to solve.
I wrestled with it daily—
Denouncing, entreating, resenting it.
Unfortunately, it thrived
On all this attention
And the free room and board.
Finally, at a particularly low point
Of human discouragement
I was spurred into immediate
Action of a different sort
By a flash of insight:

"I can of mine own self do nothing."** 

....

The Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy encourages us: “Individuals are consistent who, watching and praying, can “run, and not be weary; . . . walk, and not faint,” who gain good rapidly and hold their position, or attain slowly and yield not to discouragement.” (SH 254:2–6)

Julie Swannell

*See posts on Ideas on Wings (available in most CS Reading Rooms) from August 2016 - here's a link.

** John 5:30