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Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C.S. Lewis
There was a time in my youth when I would buy and read any and every book I discovered by C.S. Lewis. What I had found was that he wrote in a way that engaged my mind like no other writer. He was respected in a variety of fields, and held passionately to his faith in Christ. Years later, when I began rereading his books, I was surprised to find that many of the ideas I'd held as my own had been planted by Lewis. Each of the poems in Conspiracy of Light springs directly from something Lewis wrote, or from events in his life. The source for some will be obvious, even to casual readers of Lewis. The notes at the end of this book, although unnecessary for reading the poems, direct readers back to the source material. I would be pleased if my poems expand readers' appreciation of Lewis and bring them back to his work. November 22nd of this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis. His is a legacy that will continue to grow as the years pass. Here I honor him, and the one for whom he wrote.
- GenresPoetryPhilosophy
122 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2013
30 people want to read
About the author
D.S. Martin
11 books5 followersD.S. Martin is a Canadian poet with two collections to his credit. His poetry has appeared in many journals in both Canada and the US, such as The Antigonish Review, The Fiddlehead, Canadian Literature, Christian Century, Dalhousie Review and Queen's Quarterly. His chapbook is about his grandparents who were missionaries to China from 1923 to 1951. He writes about poetry for publications such as Arc, Books & Culture, The Cresset, and Image, and is the Music Critic for Christian Week. He lives in Brampton, Ontario with his wife and two teenage sons.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 15, 2017
I share D. S. Martin`s love for the writings of C. S. Lewis. For that reason, reading Conspiracy of Light was for me a double pleasure.
On the one hand, I can enjoy D. S. Martin`s poems on their own merit. For example I can picture a lion standing between two mountain ashes in What Lucy Saw and be carried on to plumb the depths of what it means to follow Christ even when the path is unclear and uncertain.
On the other hand, when I re-read one of Lewis`s books, I can also read a poem associated with it from this collection. D. S. Martin has a helpful Notes & Acknowledgements section in the back which makes it easy to read the poems associated with a particular Lewis book or essay. Reading Conspiracy of Light in conjunction with Lewis adds a dimension to my enjoyment. The beauty and logic of Lewis`s writings is amplified by the pictures and emotions that D. S. Martin`s poems evoke.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading Lewis.
On the one hand, I can enjoy D. S. Martin`s poems on their own merit. For example I can picture a lion standing between two mountain ashes in What Lucy Saw and be carried on to plumb the depths of what it means to follow Christ even when the path is unclear and uncertain.
On the other hand, when I re-read one of Lewis`s books, I can also read a poem associated with it from this collection. D. S. Martin has a helpful Notes & Acknowledgements section in the back which makes it easy to read the poems associated with a particular Lewis book or essay. Reading Conspiracy of Light in conjunction with Lewis adds a dimension to my enjoyment. The beauty and logic of Lewis`s writings is amplified by the pictures and emotions that D. S. Martin`s poems evoke.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading Lewis.
September 11, 2014
“There is, then, creative reading as well as creative writing” said Emerson. Canadian poet D. S. Martin has read. C. S. Lewis creatively over years in order for us to now enjoy Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C. S. Lewis. From the first lines of the first poem:
“A glance over your shoulder / assures you you can always get back” to the final “Destination” it is a magical trip.
Martin takes us in 77 poems through seven sections that include poems that look at the role of the poet, riff on ideas and lines from Lewis’s writings, explore his fantasy settings, muse about communication, the vastness of God and the final state to which we aspire.
You may wonder, do readers have to be familiar with Lewis’s writings themselves to get these poems? No. They stand very well on their own, though Martin has included an acknowledgment section where he names the inspirational source of each poem.
Lewis’s (and Martin’s) philosophical bent is seen in many of the ideas on which Martin expands. What proves something is true?
What is real? From “The Poet Weaves Three Worlds”:
Many of these poems whisper eternal truths that we pick up in echoes from Bible texts like these ending lines from “The Sacred Fish”:
and these bits from “The Dogs” (obstacles, challenges, troubles):
What I like about these poems is the way Martin has made the ideas his own by bringing in elements of his generation. In the poem “Something” (about music) the title evokes the song by the Beatles and the poem contains the line “his guitar gently weeps” p. 36.
In “On the Latest Impending Doom” which, the notes tell us, got their inspiration from Lewis’s poem “On the Atomic Bomb’ Martin gives his dooms a 21st century feel:
Most of the poems are free verse. There are a few sonnets (though not of the traditional rhyme scheme, iambic pentameter variety) and one very traditional rhymer. Still, Martin’s crafting fascinates me. He uses lots of rhyme—perfect and imperfect within and at the ends of lines that sing to each other across stanzas unifying the piece as well as making it a pleasure to read aloud. “After Evensong” is one such that I thought had an almost lullaby quality to it:
I could go on about the titled sections and the way titles of each are hidden within poems, the whimsical wordplay within many of the selections and the wonderful note of hope on which the book ends. Having found so many goodies on a quick read-through, I now want to return and reread to see what other surprises this collection will yield in both the categories of idea and technique.
Conspiracy of Light reminds me of the moon. In reflecting the sun’s light, the moon shows off its own topography. In the same way Martin’s poems reflecting on the brilliance of Lewis, reveal the man who wrote them.
(A shorter version of this review was first published in Faith Today.)
“A glance over your shoulder / assures you you can always get back” to the final “Destination” it is a magical trip.
Martin takes us in 77 poems through seven sections that include poems that look at the role of the poet, riff on ideas and lines from Lewis’s writings, explore his fantasy settings, muse about communication, the vastness of God and the final state to which we aspire.
You may wonder, do readers have to be familiar with Lewis’s writings themselves to get these poems? No. They stand very well on their own, though Martin has included an acknowledgment section where he names the inspirational source of each poem.
Lewis’s (and Martin’s) philosophical bent is seen in many of the ideas on which Martin expands. What proves something is true?
“Some things are only known
once you step in” from "Proof" p. 5.
What is real? From “The Poet Weaves Three Worlds”:
“The marvelous he believes …
The marvelous fictitious fantasies ...
The world his eye perceives …
The poet twists from these
a three-strand cord of truth” p. 35.
Many of these poems whisper eternal truths that we pick up in echoes from Bible texts like these ending lines from “The Sacred Fish”:
“Better is one day in his boats
than thousands elsewhere” p. 19.
and these bits from “The Dogs” (obstacles, challenges, troubles):
“I want to tell them to move
to pick them up and throw them into the sea
like a mustard tree
or a handful of mountain” p. 26.
What I like about these poems is the way Martin has made the ideas his own by bringing in elements of his generation. In the poem “Something” (about music) the title evokes the song by the Beatles and the poem contains the line “his guitar gently weeps” p. 36.
In “On the Latest Impending Doom” which, the notes tell us, got their inspiration from Lewis’s poem “On the Atomic Bomb’ Martin gives his dooms a 21st century feel:
“So you’ve found a new engine of doom
running on fossil fuel …
Who needs new science to kindle dread
whether coastal cities be blooded or simply left behind” p. 66.
Most of the poems are free verse. There are a few sonnets (though not of the traditional rhyme scheme, iambic pentameter variety) and one very traditional rhymer. Still, Martin’s crafting fascinates me. He uses lots of rhyme—perfect and imperfect within and at the ends of lines that sing to each other across stanzas unifying the piece as well as making it a pleasure to read aloud. “After Evensong” is one such that I thought had an almost lullaby quality to it:
“Like cranky toddlers we can fight
so long not strong enough to stay vertical
or resist rubbing our eyes
although wise men know darkness is deep
& in the end the dark is right
For soon we all are ravished by sleep…” p. 63.
I could go on about the titled sections and the way titles of each are hidden within poems, the whimsical wordplay within many of the selections and the wonderful note of hope on which the book ends. Having found so many goodies on a quick read-through, I now want to return and reread to see what other surprises this collection will yield in both the categories of idea and technique.
Conspiracy of Light reminds me of the moon. In reflecting the sun’s light, the moon shows off its own topography. In the same way Martin’s poems reflecting on the brilliance of Lewis, reveal the man who wrote them.
(A shorter version of this review was first published in Faith Today.)
May 31, 2018
Firstly, I love C. S. Lewis and have read a great deal by him - all of his fiction and much of his theology. Secondly, I have enjoyed other poetry by D. S. Martin. So I found this combination - Martin poems about Lewis - thoroughly enjoyable. Even the poems that sprang from quotes or images I was unfamiliar with were enjoyable for me.
June 12, 2022
3.5-3.75 This was a nice, thoughtful read. Some really poingnant themes and musical lines! At times it did feel a little overwrought or the metaphors too on the nose though.
July 9, 2014
One doesn't have to be a fan of C.S. Lewis to appreciate the artistry of D.S. Martin's poems in this book. But it helps. Were I not a admirer of Lewis and the other Inklings (Tolkien, Charles Williams), I don't know if I would have rated this book lower or not. But the poems here stand on their own as well-crafted poetry, and Martin provides a helpful Notes section at the end of the book indicating which writings of Lewis inspired each poem.
Here's one example of a poem from the book that shouldn't require any background in Lewis to be enjoyed:
Democracy
What could be more equalizing than a grocery line?
No matter your income or education
you still have to wait for the elephantine matron to debate
the price of twinkies with the cashier-in-training
So you scan the magazines The revelation
of an actress gaining forty inexplicable pounds leaps
from a headline The latest swimsuit issue
will mess with your head unless you avert your eyes
A voice calls for a cleanup in aisle eight thunders
a special on toilet tissue The latest diet sensation in the rack
promises wonders You stack veggies & bread
on the conveyor belt hope your ice cream won't melt
as the same woman recounts her change Once in every generation
the paparazzi snap a royal honeymoon vacation Once a week
some Hollywood couple gets divorced Why do we emulate
the famous even those who by choice make their lives disasters?
Who longs for equality who deserves power? Aristotle
said some people are only fit to be slaves C.S. Lewis questioned
if any are fit to be masters
Here's one example of a poem from the book that shouldn't require any background in Lewis to be enjoyed:
Democracy
What could be more equalizing than a grocery line?
No matter your income or education
you still have to wait for the elephantine matron to debate
the price of twinkies with the cashier-in-training
So you scan the magazines The revelation
of an actress gaining forty inexplicable pounds leaps
from a headline The latest swimsuit issue
will mess with your head unless you avert your eyes
A voice calls for a cleanup in aisle eight thunders
a special on toilet tissue The latest diet sensation in the rack
promises wonders You stack veggies & bread
on the conveyor belt hope your ice cream won't melt
as the same woman recounts her change Once in every generation
the paparazzi snap a royal honeymoon vacation Once a week
some Hollywood couple gets divorced Why do we emulate
the famous even those who by choice make their lives disasters?
Who longs for equality who deserves power? Aristotle
said some people are only fit to be slaves C.S. Lewis questioned
if any are fit to be masters
September 29, 2015
A must-read for Christian poets.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews