By Canon Mike D Williams
This is a thoughtful collection that invites readers on a poetic journey through Advent. Morley, known for her spiritual writing, curates forty poems – one for each day of Advent – ranging from classic to contemporary, and provides insightful reflections on each selection. This book is designed as both a devotional companion and a literary exploration, making it a unique offering in preparation for Christmas and Epiphany.
At the end of each section there is a question – some that challenge, and others inspire. The poems themselves are drawn from a diverse array of poets, including familiar names such as Christina Rossetti, T. S. Eliot, and R. S. Thomas, alongside lesser-known or more modern voices. This diversity ensures that the collection resonates on many levels, from the deeply traditional to the strikingly contemporary, from the Christian to the secular.
I often struggle to understand the layers of meaning that can often be found in poetry. Morley’s commentaries are sensitive and perceptive and helps the reader to pay attention and spend time reflecting to gain deeper insights. She approaches each poem as both a literary work and a potential source of spiritual nourishment, drawing out themes of waiting, longing, hope, and the complexity of faith. Her reflections often link the poems to the broader themes of Advent, such as anticipation, darkness and light, and the mystery of incarnation.
There are interesting facts about the structure of some poems and facts about the poets. P.B Shelly, was bullied at Eton and expelled from Oxford University in 1811 for publishing atheist thoughts. His poem ‘Ozymandias’ challenges the secular and religious idea of Kingship and power. It makes more sense thanks to Morley’s commentary.
Philip Larkin’s poem ‘Church Going’, that is thoroughly secular – the title refers to the demise of church buildings. Yet it is popular with church goers possibly because Larkin describes a church building as ‘A serious house on serious earth it is’. Janet Kenyon’s poem is about a bat chase – “at every turn it evades us / like the identity of the third person / in the Trinity …the one who astounded Mary”.
‘In the bleak mid-winter’ is a favourite Christmas carol yet it began life as a poem published in 1847 and set to music some 30 years later. The title of the book comes from the poem set for Christmas day by U.A. Fanthorpe ‘BC:AD’ – “This was the moment when Before / Turned into After” and then in the last two lines describes the shepherds who “Walked haphazard by starlight straight / Into the kingdom of heaven”.
For Christian readers, the book offers a rich resource for spiritual reflection. For poetry enthusiasts, it serves as a well-curated anthology. For those who fall into both camps, it is a rare treasure. Whether read daily throughout December or dipped into at leisure, this book offers a potential Christmas gift that can be revisited each Advent.