THE BOOK OF ASHES, (originally called Little Job, or Pety Job) is a meditative fifteenth century verse paraphrase of excerpts from the Book of Job; a passionate penitential monologue that uses as its meditative base the liturgical text intoned daily for the souls of the dead. The original author is unknown. Early manuscripts describe the work as follows: The nine lessons of the Dirge, which Job made in his tribulation lying on the dunghill, declaring more clearly to our understanding, in a solemn and worthy manner, that which will suffice to steer sinners towards compunction. This edition...
THE BOOK OF ASHES, (originally called Little Job, or Pety Job) is a meditative fifteenth century verse paraphrase of excerpts from the Book of Job; a ...
Traditional cultures in many parts of the world have displayed a profound appreciation of the need for human beings to understand each other, leaving aside religious partisanship in a search for common understanding of the worldly, the transcendent, and the divine. Treasures of truth can still be found in texts which were once discarded. In these poems there is a search for a deeper and more musical understanding of religious texts which have been marginalized by established powers: the mysterious wisdom of the Gospel of Thomas, a collection of the sayings of Jesus; the passionate power of...
Traditional cultures in many parts of the world have displayed a profound appreciation of the need for human beings to understand each other, leaving ...
Limited resources, increasing populations, and unyielding political and religious systems have engendered conflicts around the world. As a consequence, commercial interests, established institutions, and government powers have threatened fundamental aspects of human rights. In an effort to protect our rights, this book treats each article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the source for a poem, in the form of a "secular psalm." The psalms are pointed and arranged with Anglican Chant tunes for use in religious ceremonies or special events related to human rights issues (such as...
Limited resources, increasing populations, and unyielding political and religious systems have engendered conflicts around the world. As a consequence...
Here a medieval Muslim mystic records his living meditation on becoming one with God, where he likens himself to a moth leaping into flame: In that bright instant, wings aflame, Reduced to fragments of his name, The moth-ash shows his body's form Where no mark will distinguish him. Rumi wrote three centuries later on Al-Hallaj's words, 'I am God, ': "People imagine that it is a presumptive claim, whereas I find it is really a presumptive claim to say 'I am the slave of God'; for, 'I am God' is an expression of great humility. The man who says 'I am the slave of God' affirms two existences,...
Here a medieval Muslim mystic records his living meditation on becoming one with God, where he likens himself to a moth leaping into flame: In that br...
This novel documents the idealistic passage of a young couple from WWII-era Brooklyn into a bleak terrain in upstate New York, where they establish a family farm. Within a span of twenty years, they raise five boys and watch them leave their dreams behind, one by one. As alcohol and disillusionment begin to cast their long shadows over the succeeding generation, each of the family's sons develops a suite of defensive behaviors; until, at last, the youngest son, Zeekie, finds redemption in becoming the family's storyteller.
This novel documents the idealistic passage of a young couple from WWII-era Brooklyn into a bleak terrain in upstate New York, where they establish a ...
A spiritual resource for sustainable living, this poem records the creation story of the Hawaiian people. It was translated into English by Queen Lili'uokalani of Hawaii in 1897, while she was under house arrest at Iolani Palace, for her refusal to cooperate with overseers from the U. S. mainland. The poem tells the origin of the stars in the heavens, the plants and animals useful to life on earth, all things named within the chain of birth, and all their representatives in the spirit world: how all of this was born from darkness: The slime, the source of ever deeper darkness, Out of the...
A spiritual resource for sustainable living, this poem records the creation story of the Hawaiian people. It was translated into English by Queen Lili...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF MARK retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in rhymed couplets with four stressed syllables per line, a form called long meter. It retains the meaning of conventional versions of the story of Jesus, while offering suitable texts for musical settings of the entire gospel or any passage of particular interest. The text does not include any of the false and sinful condemnations of Jews which have historically contributed to the practice of eliminationist anti-semitism. The crucifixion of Jesus is shown as the assertion of Roman...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF MARK retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in rhymed couplets with four stressed s...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF MATTHEW retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in blank verse iambic pentameter, the form used by Milton and Shakespeare. It retains the meaning of conventional versions of the story of Jesus, while offering suitable texts for musical settings of the entire gospel or any passage of particular interest. The text does not include any of the false and sinful condemnations of Jews which have historically contributed to the practice of eliminationist anti-semitism. The crucifixion of Jesus is shown as the assertion of Roman power,...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF MATTHEW retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in blank verse iambic pentameter, th...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF JOHN retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in stanzas of four lines with lines of four beats and three beats alternating, a ballad form called common meter. The poem retains the meaning of conventional versions of the Johannine story of Jesus, while offering suitable texts for musical settings of the entire gospel or any passage of particular interest. The text does not include any of the false and sinful condemnations of Jews which have historically contributed to the practice of eliminationist anti-semitism. The crucifixion...
To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF JOHN retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in stanzas of four lines with lines of ...
