Endless Life: Poems of the Mystics

by Scott Cairns

From Saint Paul to Julian of Norwich, Scott Cairns has lovingly examined, pressed for the revelation, and set in verse the most memorable, beautiful sayings of the fathers and mothers of Christianity. The startling result is a fresh encounter of ancient wisdom and provocation.

These poems are unified in a common claim that Love is the most compelling name of God and the most apt attribute of the Holy One in whom we live and move and have our being. In that spirit Cairns offers "a mere taste of the bountiful feast that awaits any who would pursue a life of faith and prayer equipped with both the holy Scriptures and the holy tradition that surrounds them."

Genres: Poetry, Christianity, Religion

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Othy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm very sad to say that I did not care for this volume. The concept is amazing: put mystical writings to poetry. The execution, however, did not live up to such a grand idea. My feelings here may come from the fact that I don't care much for free verse, which most poems are in. There is little to hold the poems together *as poems*, and they become mostly prose paragraphs with a bunch of random line breaks. This collection may make the mystics more accessible to some, which is a great thing, but I think most would be better served by just reading the writings of the saints.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is collection of the works from Saints and Mystics sent to verse by poet Scott Cairns. Really great stuff.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love's immensity cannot be contained in a single book of prose, or verse, in this efficacious case, but must be apprehended, albeit dimly and slowly, and attended to by angels among us versus distracted by demons lurking behind acedia's ancient darkness and despair. What is this uncreated light beyond and before us as we peregrines so perilously and precariously ascend on Love's ladder of endless life and mystery?

[David Parcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was extremely beautiful! Not every poem was my style but just being able to read the words:

"Blesséd is He, Compassionate, who saw the pathway blocked, the flaming spear obstructing still our journey to the Tree of Life— that by opening His unprotected side, which, pierced, sufficed to open Paradise."

And "Who am I, wretched and sinful, to attempt to show Who cannot be shown, to make visible Who is invisible, to offer a taste of Your infinite, utterly inexpressible sweetness? I have never yet merited so much as a sip of it myself, so certainly my words will diminish rather than magnify this sweetness I desire, and desire to name. So great is Your Goodness, even so, that You allow the blind to speak of the light." Were worth the price of the book in and of themselves to me.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I tend to prefer formal verse, Mr. Cairns' poetry is full of rich, vivid and beautiful lines that spur the imagination in prayer. I heartily recommend this volume for anyone looking for an accompaniment in prayer.

[Courtney Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love both the idea and the execution.

[claire r]

Just a poetry collection. It was fine until I invested it. One or two of the poems I couldn’t even trace to the author Cairns claimed write it, or someone else entirely actually wrote it.