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Joseph Charles Mackenzie.. It seems like your comments conflict. On the one hand you offer your own writing as an addition, on the other you call the post anti-Catholic. Strange. Also, I as a reader (perhaps not the intended audience, as I am not a Catholic GENTLEMAN) did not get the sense that anyone in the post or the comments was hinting that Belloc and/or Chesterton were the end of Catholicism, let alone outright claiming so. It seemed to me a simple acknowledgement of their greatness/skill. Re: modern poets and a narrowly focused blog post (only five, of many many many more), I would hazard that it’s just simpler to look at those in the past, whose work is more accesible, more likely to have crossed one’s path.
The post is not Catholic because it makes poetry into a kind of musty old antique store, not a veritable, vibrant tradition. It is also uncritical.
Hopkins was a proto-modernist Jesuit who set out to dismantle and tear down traditional poetry through a number of liberal innovations, such as “sprung rhythm”—a black stain on poetry in general. Hopkins should never be counted a Catholic. Crashaw is, at best a quasi-illustrious minor who is outdone by Dryden and many others, a very poor poet who utterly lacks refinement, perfectly unreadaqble. Plunkett is a little too dainty, even by the standards of his own day.
This is the kind of “traditionalist” article that simply affirms the liberal dogma that Catholicism ended with Chesterton and Belloc.
There is a world of difference between a truly vibrant Catholic tradition, such as lyric poetry, and empty nostalgia for the past. This whole article is anti-tradition, and therefore anti-Catholic. What? There are no 21st-century Catholic poets? Why not do a bit of research? One might discover something about poetry—and even learn to think about Catholic poetry more critically and deeply, rather than caressing one’s nostalgia.
I also attend the Latin Mass. This does not mean that I retreat into the Edwardian period and suck my thumb in a closet.The Church is not a candle snuffer. “Lights out after Belloc, you can stop thinking now.”
Wonderful post, one of your best and most intriguing– thank you!
What a wonderful post! I am going to delve deeper into these poets and others suggested. Thank you for sharing this and Happy Easter to you and your family! 🙂
How sad that our supposed Catholic faith is so anemic as to be no longer productive of poetry. We may as well discard History altogether, like the modernists, if by continually referencing it we gain no more knowledge than we already possessed and fail to restore the social reign of Christ the King with works of our own. May I please suggest my own Sonnets for Christ the King to show that Catholicism does not end with Belloc and Chesterton? Here is the link: https://mackenziepoet.com/. All good wishes!
Any one know if Elizabeth Jennings is considered a Catholic poet? Is her poetry good to teach students to?
I had no idea that Sasson’s was a Catholic convert. Interesting.
Congratulations for the site. I think T. S. Eliot was not Catholic, he belonged to an arm of anglicism that was close to us, but not integrated.
I miss David Jones (The Anathémata) and all the great Spanish poets (Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, Santa Teresa de Jesús, San Juan de la Cruz), I am not sure if there is any translation of them.
I was surfing the net to connect with Catholic poets when I stumbled on this. I am also a Canadian Catholic Poet. Visit my blog at http://fmagnificat.blogspot.ca
William Shakespeare.
T.S. Eliot.
My favourite poem is by Francis Thomspon – Lines for a Drawing of Our Lady of the Night.
Thank you for this! I’m printing up to read later.
correction of first line above: Author of life, whose breath we breathe….
Author or life, whose breath we breathe,
to Thee be praise and thanksgiving.
Make known in due time Thy will —
as above, so below, inside as out.
Give us our part, withhold what is not
and forgive us our hurts,
as we forgive others’ and our own.
Be our light in the night
and shield us from blindness at noon.
Glory be to Thee, Amen.
BTW Joseph Mary Plunkett has some great poetry at this link
http://poetry.elcore.net/CatholicPoets/Plunkett/index.html
Cheers,
Can someone provide links to where we can find more poetry from these people? Or even preferably a book of their poetry? Amazon didn’t seem to have anything good for once.
I think Tolkien would make a nice addition to the list also.
Haha, nevermind on Kilmer, I had forgotten that you already listed him.
Yes, Robert Southwell is certainly a glaring omission. I would also include Joyce Kilmer and G. K. Chesterton. Chaucer and Dante were also Catholic.
Thank you very much. I’m learning English and I love poetry. I intend to include these poets in my study. These site is very helpful in a religious and intelectual sense to me.
One more, Shakespeare’s Cousin St. Robert Southwell.
The Burning Babe
As I in hoary winter’s night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow ;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear ;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
Alas, quoth he, but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I !
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns ;
The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defilëd souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I callëd unto mind that it was Christmas day.
I am sad that Chesterton didn’t make the cut. For those interested, he has many of his works for free on ibooks. One is simply titled “Poetry”.
Who is more manly than Rilke?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Rainer_Maria_Rilke,_1900.jpg
The big gap in this list is Francis Thompson and “The Hound of Heaven.”
A really great post. Hooray for Catholic Poets and Writers, and pray for us!
I was familiar with only 2 – thank you
This was a really interesting article. I also wrote about poetry today. Perhaps you would like to join in on a discussion of poetry at this link. http://oshitbritt.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/on-poetry/