More than Three Wishes

A book from my own library came across my path.  The author is the well known Joerg Zink, theologian, poet, activist.  Along with poems it features lovely nature photography.  The tittle is  "More Than Three Wishes"  ("Mehr als drei Wuensche")

We received it from an Aunt and Uncle, as per signature on the front page,  and I am guessing, they gave it when Stefan was suddenly taken from us.

At this present time, I am considering passing it on to a relative in Germany who has taken seriously ill with a brain tumor.  

But before I pass it on, I have to quickly read it again.  :)

This is a poem that caught my attention:

"Was ich dir wuensche?

Nicht, dass du 

der schoenste Baum bist,

der auf dieser erde steht.

Nicht, 

dass du jahraus, jahrein

leuchtest von blueten

an jedem Zweig.

Aber dass dann und wann

an irgendeinem Ast

eine Bluete aufbricht,

dass dann und wann

etwas Schoenes glingt,
irgendwann

ein Wort der Liebe

ein Herz findet,

das wuensche ich dir."

Along with the poem we find a picture of tree branches that are very bare, except for scattered, scarlet irregular blosssoms.

Here it is in English translation (mine).

"What is my wish for you?

Not, that you are the very most beautiful tree,

that stands on this earth.

Not,

that you shine, 

year after year,

with blossoms

on every branch,

but that from time to time,

on any branch,

a blossom opens up,

that, from time to time,

something Beautiful succeeds,

that at times,

a Word of Love,

finds a heart,

--that is, what I wish for you."

It almost makes me cry because it so humble, yet profound in its aspirations, a prayer, a hope, slim or wide, taking into account all the suffering and frailties we experience in a lifetime...

The language, too, is humble.  It reminds us of the fairy tales with three wishes for oneself, but here someone has a wish for someone else, for that person to receive and give some things of beauty and love, any thing, any time, any place.

Paradise Lost

"Paradise Lost" by Milton is not something I have read, though there are excerpts in the English Poetry book I bought last Christmas in Banff.   The introduction to it was quite instructive and the excerpt was barely comprehensible to me on first quick reading.  The question about Milton is:  "Was he a heretic?"

Someone posted a link to this lecture below on Milton's book.  People say the lecture is excellent.  Milton is using Midrash and Midrashish method:  filling in gaps.  So explains the professor.  He uses the Old Testament and fills in the gaps from the New Testament understanding.  The Jews aren't totally happy, it seems.   Luther did that sort of thing, too, coming to the Old Testament in a Christ-centered way, and not everyone was pleased.  But you would think that the Jews would think it over, seeing the fulfilled prophecies and that their own kin is our Messiah.

What I like about the video is the professor's reading of the poem, out loud.  He stresses all the right words in the right way.  Even though he is rushing, he is capturing me there.  "All our Woe".  "Sing!"

But something in me fears that Milton is a heretic.  I have forgotten the reason,  but I got that impression from the Poetry book.


http://youtu.be/1GcY5WrMlWs







I like the picture.  It is very dramatic.  Usually, we just see pictures of the innocence in the garden with all the animals frolicking.  It makes me think about how this "woe" is our current state. It makes me think how God is worthy of love and respect.  It makes me think about how lightly we deal with his directives.