GLEAMS OF GLORY

A volume of verse sings of nature’s beauty and praises the divine Creator.

Most readers probably know the first lines of Joyce Kilmer’s famous poem, “Trees”: “I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree.” Fewer, perhaps, are familiar with the last couplet: “Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree.” Lewis (The Hummingbirds Will Return, 2017, etc.) credits Kilmer with first inspiring her to write, and from her new collection, one can see why. Throughout, the poet follows her mentor in marveling at the beauty of God’s creations and celebrating all the things that he makes. Readers can see a very direct line of influence in “Oak Trees”: “Dear Lord, / I think I may understand why / oak trees hold onto / dead brown leaves all winter—… But this is a puzzle, Lord: / how did it ever come to you, / to tuck a giant oak tree / inside a tiny acorn?” Here, nature is not only an inspiration, but also a source of awe. Readers will hear a similar note of inquisitive wonder (in a decidedly different key) in “Pink Flamingos”: “But why do flamingos stand / on one leg? / Scientists say, / it may be to conserve / body heat. / I propose / a yoga pose. / Do you suppose?” Would that everyone could approach this divine mystery with such a light heart. But one suspects that for the poet, doing so is easy because the globe is simply chock-full of miracles. In a late piece, “Divine Art Gallery,” she writes: “Living in this world / is like being in the midst of a / divine art gallery, / showcasing the omni-creative talents / of the Master Artist.” The world is a museum brimming with treasures that reflect the majesty of God. To quote the famous hymn, how can Lewis keep from singing?

In this heartwarming poetry collection, religious devotion remains a joy and a pleasure.