Customer Reviews

Holy Week Sonnets

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This elegant hardback collection of sonnets is a rare treat. Well-written formal poetry, complete with meter and rhyme, is like a swift breeze of invigorating air in a world that all too often scorns the riches of tradition. And these sonnets are indeed well-written: the alliteration, rhythm, and imagery work together to move the reader to reflection, as he or she embarks on a Holy Week journey from the costly anointing of Christ, through the crucifixion, to the resurrection. I could name many favorites in this volume, but I will content myself with a few. "A Single Stone" inspires empathy for the often overlooked Martha; "Good Friday, 1987" shows how intellectual confusion can be happily consumed by childlike faith; and "The Signature" reminds us of the beautifully brutal way Christ sealed His contract with us. These are beautiful poems to read aloud, and this is the kind of collection that can bear repeated reading each year during Lent. The poems are complemented by scripture references, which are printed in their entirety in the second half of the book, so that you may use the volume as a kind of devotional.

I must confess I am not a fan of poetry and when I received this book as a gift I was not very excited about it. However, the poems were so well written and moving that I loved every page. The word pictures sprang off the page and into my heart. It has become a MUST read every Easter season. Highly recommended.