Thank you for sharing your reading of Saint Peter. His story pierces and convicts my own soul, who is grateful for Good Friday, Easter Morning, and the morning reunion with Simon Peter on the shoreline.
On a late Good Friday note, "Stabat Mater" is a deeply moving orchestral and vocal expression of Mary's sorrow and grief upon witnessing her Son's crucifixion and death. This is a link to Vivaldi's version: https://youtu.be/V3juJ080tjc
I didn’t realize at first who Peter might be addressing, other than himself. And his self-recrimination is harsher than Hamlet’s. (I could sense Peter’s bitterness of soul in the consonants.) He invokes biblical judgments: the mountains should fall on him! Peter remembers when the Lord called him, and his prophetic words about the sinner he is, and his reflexive, “Depart from me, Lord.” How true that seems now.
In my hearing I didn’t quite catch the turn, but clearly after railing against his failure and sin, and having recalled his life and come to the end of himself, he is haunted by the Lord’s eyes and goodness to him; then Peter not only recalls the Lord, but finally calls upon the Lord.
How very like the Psalms of lament!
Peter sees the truth of his nothingness apart from Jesus, and before him is the abyss which would swallow up this reality once and for all—but he asks not to be abandoned. He cries out to be saved. This is, I suppose, how Peter differs from Judas. The remedy for the awfulness of the truth is Truth himself.
This artful work is perfect for the wrapping up of Lent; mortification and penance lead us into a deeper awareness that our sins are not pretty and never were. How hard that is. But we can cry out to be saved. So, many, many thanks for all your work.
BTW I loved the echoes of Psalm 139.
Oh, and The Sorrows of Peter reminded me of the famous painting The Scream.
Than you very much, Thelma. My sense of the "turn" in the poem, or at least one of them, is the first clear end of a sentence -- the first settling of his raving of anger against himself, into something approaching reason. I believe that that end of sentence comes about two thirds of the way into the poem.
"Never abandon me to be myself" -- a direct rejection of everything that our young people are taught....
I appreciate knowing this. Amen to this thought which was indeed striking to hear; thanks for the countercultural word, without that particular turn there is no gospel, only captivity to self—whether self-satisfied or self-condemned.
And Thelma, Tony has written a second such book-length poem, "The Twelve-Gated City," as yet to be published because we don't know whom to send it to. Tony needs a literary agent at for this sort of thing.
Dr. and Mrs. Esolen, I hope you all are having a very blessed Easter week. Recently I came across a reference to The Crossroads Publishing Company. Rather than quote from the company's website, I'm sending a link to the site, in case you're interested in looking into it. I sure do hope you all the best as you strive to find a publisher, which will be the most helpful, as you strive to bring "The Twelve-Gated City" to as many thirsty souls as possible. I've recently begun to read "The Hundredfold", which I'm enjoying immensely; the vignettes, read collectively, remind me of the great epic poems of ages past; your introduction to the poem is a fine education in itself. The link for The Crossroads Publishing Company is https://crossroadpublishing.com/.
Wendell Berry, a contemporary Kentucky author of short fiction, novels, poems, and essays, has published many of his works through The North Point Press. I wonder if that might be a good option.
Anne, the Hundredfold was published in a nice version by Ignatius. But people (rightly) wondered why there was no hardcover edition offered. And frankly the marketing for that book was virtually nil. The publisher didn't even recommend it for any of a multitude of book awards. My experience with the small presses is that they do very little marketing, and leave that up to the authors. So this time I would like a better known press with a wider audience. Tony's poem should appeal to more than just a Catholic readership, and he has many fans from other Christian traditions. Then there is the issue of the hymns Tony wrote for both the Hundredfold and The Twelve-Gated City, 36 in all. We want to retain all rights to those, in the hope that we can market them for inclusion in hymnals for use in congregations. So for the moment the poem is "resting."
I couldn't have asked any of my students when I taught poetry at Providence College to write me a better short essay on this poem. I cheers me, and I know it will cheer Tony, to see so many people here who really listened to the poem and comprehended it. Thank you so much for doing that. And please, anyone who reads this, share The Hundredfold with your clergyman, your friends, family, even the meter reader! Let anyone with ears to hear hear.
This is my favorite poem of The Hundredfold. It always makes me tear up in sorrow at the beginning and in joy at the end. It is an excellent work Dr. Esolen.
Kalee, we are so glad that Tony is able to read the monologues to folks who have actually already read The Hundredfold. We hope that hearing Tony read them helps everyone understand better what the poetry actually sounds like to the ear. And through the ear, that it might better reach the heart of listeners. God bless you.
That's a wonderful compliment. I think that I said to myself, how would I feel if I were Peter, and what would I say about myself -- and then, how many things I would remember with pain and shame -- things that might seem disconnected in the Gospels but that really are connected...
Scott, I'm answering this comment late, but I wanted to say from your keypad to God's ear. We want everyone we can reach to read The Hundredfold. Please do share away! God bless you.
Thank you for sharing your reading of Saint Peter. His story pierces and convicts my own soul, who is grateful for Good Friday, Easter Morning, and the morning reunion with Simon Peter on the shoreline.
On a late Good Friday note, "Stabat Mater" is a deeply moving orchestral and vocal expression of Mary's sorrow and grief upon witnessing her Son's crucifixion and death. This is a link to Vivaldi's version: https://youtu.be/V3juJ080tjc
no greater denial
no greater lament
and
no greater forgiveness!
That is absolutely beautiful!
Thank you. Woe is me too, friends.
I didn’t realize at first who Peter might be addressing, other than himself. And his self-recrimination is harsher than Hamlet’s. (I could sense Peter’s bitterness of soul in the consonants.) He invokes biblical judgments: the mountains should fall on him! Peter remembers when the Lord called him, and his prophetic words about the sinner he is, and his reflexive, “Depart from me, Lord.” How true that seems now.
In my hearing I didn’t quite catch the turn, but clearly after railing against his failure and sin, and having recalled his life and come to the end of himself, he is haunted by the Lord’s eyes and goodness to him; then Peter not only recalls the Lord, but finally calls upon the Lord.
How very like the Psalms of lament!
Peter sees the truth of his nothingness apart from Jesus, and before him is the abyss which would swallow up this reality once and for all—but he asks not to be abandoned. He cries out to be saved. This is, I suppose, how Peter differs from Judas. The remedy for the awfulness of the truth is Truth himself.
This artful work is perfect for the wrapping up of Lent; mortification and penance lead us into a deeper awareness that our sins are not pretty and never were. How hard that is. But we can cry out to be saved. So, many, many thanks for all your work.
BTW I loved the echoes of Psalm 139.
Oh, and The Sorrows of Peter reminded me of the famous painting The Scream.
God bless you both!
Wonderful, insightful reflection on this poem.
Than you very much, Thelma. My sense of the "turn" in the poem, or at least one of them, is the first clear end of a sentence -- the first settling of his raving of anger against himself, into something approaching reason. I believe that that end of sentence comes about two thirds of the way into the poem.
"Never abandon me to be myself" -- a direct rejection of everything that our young people are taught....
I appreciate knowing this. Amen to this thought which was indeed striking to hear; thanks for the countercultural word, without that particular turn there is no gospel, only captivity to self—whether self-satisfied or self-condemned.
The Lord be with you.
And Thelma, Tony has written a second such book-length poem, "The Twelve-Gated City," as yet to be published because we don't know whom to send it to. Tony needs a literary agent at for this sort of thing.
Dr. and Mrs. Esolen, I hope you all are having a very blessed Easter week. Recently I came across a reference to The Crossroads Publishing Company. Rather than quote from the company's website, I'm sending a link to the site, in case you're interested in looking into it. I sure do hope you all the best as you strive to find a publisher, which will be the most helpful, as you strive to bring "The Twelve-Gated City" to as many thirsty souls as possible. I've recently begun to read "The Hundredfold", which I'm enjoying immensely; the vignettes, read collectively, remind me of the great epic poems of ages past; your introduction to the poem is a fine education in itself. The link for The Crossroads Publishing Company is https://crossroadpublishing.com/.
InterVarsity Press? Image Books/Doubleday? Penguin? Everyman? Oxford?
Wendell Berry, a contemporary Kentucky author of short fiction, novels, poems, and essays, has published many of his works through The North Point Press. I wonder if that might be a good option.
A few years ago I noticed interVarsity Press has a respectable Academic List and whole Bible Commentary.
Catholic Answers press?
Anne, the Hundredfold was published in a nice version by Ignatius. But people (rightly) wondered why there was no hardcover edition offered. And frankly the marketing for that book was virtually nil. The publisher didn't even recommend it for any of a multitude of book awards. My experience with the small presses is that they do very little marketing, and leave that up to the authors. So this time I would like a better known press with a wider audience. Tony's poem should appeal to more than just a Catholic readership, and he has many fans from other Christian traditions. Then there is the issue of the hymns Tony wrote for both the Hundredfold and The Twelve-Gated City, 36 in all. We want to retain all rights to those, in the hope that we can market them for inclusion in hymnals for use in congregations. So for the moment the poem is "resting."
I couldn't have asked any of my students when I taught poetry at Providence College to write me a better short essay on this poem. I cheers me, and I know it will cheer Tony, to see so many people here who really listened to the poem and comprehended it. Thank you so much for doing that. And please, anyone who reads this, share The Hundredfold with your clergyman, your friends, family, even the meter reader! Let anyone with ears to hear hear.
So many, indeed.
This is my favorite poem of The Hundredfold. It always makes me tear up in sorrow at the beginning and in joy at the end. It is an excellent work Dr. Esolen.
Thank you, Sandy. Bartimaeus is my favorite, but St. Peter is utterly devastating. Thank you for reading The Hundredfold, and for sharing about it.
Thank you! Moving! I have enjoyed reading this book and you have added to that enjoyment.
Kalee, we are so glad that Tony is able to read the monologues to folks who have actually already read The Hundredfold. We hope that hearing Tony read them helps everyone understand better what the poetry actually sounds like to the ear. And through the ear, that it might better reach the heart of listeners. God bless you.
Thank you.
Thank you for listening, Monesa.
It's as if you took dictation from St. Peter himself. His words (your words) are raw and powerful, and I see myself in them.
That's a wonderful compliment. I think that I said to myself, how would I feel if I were Peter, and what would I say about myself -- and then, how many things I would remember with pain and shame -- things that might seem disconnected in the Gospels but that really are connected...
THIS is the key that would unlock spiritual revival in America.
Scott, I'm answering this comment late, but I wanted to say from your keypad to God's ear. We want everyone we can reach to read The Hundredfold. Please do share away! God bless you.
Woe is me...I am undone. Indeed
Wow. What a moving confession.
I see too much of myself in it.
Thank you.
Thayer, yes. We are all Peter. It's the hard reminder of Good Friday, and it makes Easter all the greater for our remembering what we are.