The problem of Cain

After Hebrews 11:1-4 

Each brings a sacrifice,

one, an animal,

the other, fruit.

Why was one more

acceptable than

the other? What 

was wrong?

The one brought

what was carefully

decided and chosen.

The other grabbed from

what was at hand,

without much thought.

 

The difference was 

the intent,

the care,

the heart.

 

Photograph by Xiaolong Wong via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

She Died Too Soon – Tim Challies.

 

Ancient Jerusalem: Not Where We Thought? – Nathan Steinmeyer at Biblical Archaeological Society.

 

‘Pillar of Salt’: A Poem on Lot’s Wife – Brian Yapko at Society of Classical Poets.

 

Becoming Writers Who Write the Truth Beautifully – Lara d’Entremont.

 

The Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury, Fulton, Exterior and Interior– Chris Naffziger at St. Louis

Patina.

Incensed -- poem by Mary Harwell Sayler at Society of Classical Poets.

Poets and Poems: Luke Kennard and “Cain”

British poet Luke Kennard has collected a number of glowing descriptions of his poetry – ingenious, innovative, clever, entertaining, “one of British poetry’s brightest lights,” and funny, among them. After reading Cain: Poems, his latest collection, I would add “playful” and “a dash of mischievousness.”

Luke Kennard

The Cain of the title is the Cain of the book of Genesis in the Bible, the man who killed his brother Abel because he was jealous of the favor shown by God to Abel’s offering. God didn’t smite Cain down for his crime, but he did put a mark upon him and sent him into permanent exile and wandering. The Biblical account doesn’t mention what the mark was, but it must have been noticeable.

In Kennard’s poems, Cain shows up one day at the poet’s front door. The poet has lost his faith and his marriage in the same week, and turned to the solace of beer – a lot of beer, wine-strength wheat beers, in fact. The poet hears the doorbell ring, and there’s an inflatable life-sized Frankenstein doll, behind which stands Cain. (I can’t imagine that the inflatable Frankenstein is Cain’s mark, but it does raise some interesting possibilities.)

To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.