Waiting on the Word: A Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

by Malcolm Guite

Advent is a season of waiting and anticipation in which the waiting itself is strangely rich and fulfilling. Poetry can help us fathom the depths of Advent's many dark and light, emptiness and fulfilment, ancient and ever new.
For every day from Advent Sunday to Christmas Day and beyond, the bestselling poet Malcolm Guite chooses a favourite poem from across the Christian spiritual and English literary traditions and offers incisive seasonal reflections on it. In the spirit of the season, he blends the familiar and the new, ranging from from spiritual classics such as Edmund Spenser, John Donne, George Herbert and Christina Rossetti, to contemporary voices Luci Shaw and Scott Cairns. His own acclaimed sequence of sonnets for the great Advent antiphons are also included.

Genres: Poetry, Christmas, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Devotional, Faith

176 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2015

Reviews

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is A Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. What a pleasant surprise. I am not generally a fan of books that 'explain' poems. I am much happier just reading and rereading a poem. I often distrust poetry analysis. Malcolm Guite expertly explains each poem, yes, but his analysis leads to love. Rather than discuss them academically, he makes you feel that you are just sitting around the Christmas tree discussing things you love. It was really that brilliant. His own Antiphon Sonnets are also quite lovely. This will be a yearly read. I did fall behind at all which I often do with Advent reading.

[ladydusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advent to Epiphany read with some surprising poems included. One to revisit.

2023-2024 revisited. Thankful for the days he has recorded to immerse myself in ear and eye reading.

[Jen H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm Guite, in his Waiting on the Word devotional did for my understanding of poetry what rich, creamy butter does to a piece of dry toast. Can't say enough good about this tasty morsel of literary fare. Worth its weight in gold and then some.

[Jess Schurz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guite is Mr. Tumnus! Guiding us into the season through poetry, unveiling the mysteries as a friendly companion and host
/ 4.5

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

1/25:
I finished Waiting on the Word this week, a day late and not having made it to every entry between the beginning of Advent and Epiphany, but still better for the effort, better for the intentionality.

This is my second time reading this Advent devotional and I loved revisiting these poems and the accompanying commentary. What stuck out to me most in both years of reading this book is that I love that it continues through Epiphany. In fact, that has ruined all other Advent devotionals for me now. As much as I appreciate the spiritual focus during anticipation of Christmas, I may need it even more in the post-Christmas haze. And it speaks to the deeper meaning behind why we celebrate Christmas, that the birth of Jesus is not the end of the story or even the beginning, but the middle.


1/22:
I thought I would enjoy this book during advent, but I ended up loving it more than I ever expected. The ritual of reading each poem and its accompanying commentary was fantastic for slowing down during the bustle of Christmas. I love that it continued beyond December 25; reading in the post-Christmas haze was perhaps even more meaningful.

[Anna Stegeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book to read through the Christmas season. I enjoyed the different types of poetry and how Malcolm Guite didn’t beat the poem to death but gently uncovered the hidden depths for the reader.

[Anita Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this way of celebrating Advent. Reading Guite's words every morning as he unpacked other's poetry, and sometimes shared his own and their back stories--it was all delightful and I already look forward to rereading it next Advent.

[Gina Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started this I thought it was just a book of Guite’s poems fit for advent and Christmas. It’s actually a collection of poems he chose but didn’t necessarily write. One for each day starting at advent and ending on epiphany. After each poem he talks about them and draws out both spiritual truths and technical aspects from the poem that you might have missed. I very much enjoyed reading this after my Bible every day and I look forward to using his similar book for Lent next month!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Guite chooses well-known poems (by Christina Rossetti, John Donne, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge et al.) as well as more obscure contemporary ones as daily devotional reading between the start of Advent and Epiphany; I especially liked his sonnet sequence in response to the seven “O Antiphons.” His commentary is learned and insightful, and even if at times I thought he goes into too much in-depth analysis rather than letting the poems speak for themselves, this remains a very good companion to the Christmas season for any poetry lover.

[Calvin Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some highlights include, Annunciation by John Donne, Tennyson's In Memoriam XXVIII, and Song of the Shepherds by Richard Bauckham.

[Sarah Fowler Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, wonderful, can't recommend it enough or wait to read it again next year! If I wasn't already a Malcolm Guite fangirl (because, I mean, who isn't?) this would make me one. Great poem choices, wonderful sonnets of his own, and fantastic depth of exploration every day. I'm going to miss this daily treat.

[Lauren Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026 review: note to self - get into Coleridge, Ruth Pitter, and Luci Shaw

mr. guite grasps the imaginative realm where Beauty, Goodness, Truth, and faith lie, and incarnates this Reality into words I can understand, and take to heart. forever grateful for this gift and how it allows me to abide with God

[Molly Grimmius · Rating 5 out of 5]

After really enjoying his lent devotion last year, I decided to go back to his poem a day devotion for the advent season through Epiphany, which is today! Again, I really enjoy how art, music and of course poems can paint such a different often more vivid and true feeling of what Advent means… of what the incarnation means… of taking a story we know so well if growing up in the church and striking it in such new way… which is what we should want because Jesus coming down is crucial to our faith and it should move us deeply.
Especially loved the Christina Rossetti poems and Luci Shaw and the final one today by William Blake was beautiful. Malcom Guite is such a fountain of knowledge for poetry. And poets and takes you so much further as he helps you see what is being said which is really lovely.

[Heather Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful- I will revisit dying Advent often! His commentary isn’t heavy-handed and his poem selections are excellent.

[James Paton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding anthology that made me think, helped me pray, and stretched my imagination.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me two Advent seasons, plus some, to read Waiting on the Word. It is a contemplative book, the kind where you read a paragraph and then stare out the window and ponder. The kind where hours later while your fingers are punching numbers, your mind is still ruminating about wrapped and rapt. Guite's commentary opened up poems and took me deeper than my own study could.

My favorite poems, by far, were Guite's "O Antiphons", based on the seven Advent prayers of the early church. These prayers are incorporated in the verses of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (a reasonable argument for not skipping verses of hymns — one of my hobby horses). Guite grabs me with phrases like we surf the surface of a wide-screen world / And find no virtue in the virtual.

One thing troubles me: the exclusive perspective of the Northern Hemisphere. Are people in Brazil and South Africa supposed to sing In the Bleak Midwinter?

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm Guite never fails to reignite my sense of wonder in both the written word and the Bible stories that I’ve heard so many times.

[Anne White · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed the variety of poems included, and Guite's insights into them. One star less than five for the simple reason that the book doesn't work especially well as a read-aloud, even just for adults, because the commentary sections are often quite long. Also, it's not the best choice if you have to miss readings here and there, because many of them refer back to previous days' content. As personal devotional reading, and without too many interruptions, it would be fine.

[Kyle H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, I will be reading this during every Advent season.

[Corrie Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Guite’s poetic journey through Lent and his Advent Anthology was just as excellent. A new winter tradition for me!

[fpk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book for the last few years during the Advent/Christmas season. And every time I am so inspired. 5 stars once again .

____________________________________________________________

I don't normally read a lot of poetry. I think I'm going to change that habit this year. As long as I can have access to writers like Malcolm Guite. In this wonderful book, Guite includes a wonderful 1-2 page analysis with each daily reading/poem. There are poems from old greats, such as George Herbert, and more modern ones , like Christina Rosetti, as well as some of Guite's originals. I don't think there was one entry in here that I didn't appreciate!
The commentaries Guite writes are not overly didactic or condescending in any way, so this is not a book meant solely for novices, no. His observations are like meditations, perfect for the Advent/Christmas season, all the way up to Epiphany. Nature lovers, poetry enthusiasts, and contemplatives would appreciate this book a lot. I'm definitely going to be reading more of Guite's works. And I'll be re-reading this one again next year.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waiting on the Word is part poetry collection, part devotional, and part literary criticism. It spans the beginning of Advent through the end of Epiphany, and includes a blend of poetry, new and old. There are classic poems here, from Spenser and Herbert and Donne and the like, some of which are centuries old. There are also contributions from more modern poets, such as Luci Shaw and Guite himself.

While there were many of these poems that I enjoyed, the highlight of the collection for me were Guite’s own sonnets covering the seven Antiphons. These were beautiful, rich with deep theology. I found myself sharing them with my family and friends, and reading back over them often over the course of my time with this book.

Guite did a brilliant job with this compilation. I love the variety found in the poems, and I was very impressed with the literary criticism element. This is the most erudite devotional I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and I will absolutely be revisiting it during some future Advent seasons.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading a poem and reflection every day from December 1 through Epiphany. Guite chooses a wide selection of poets, some of whom were actually new to me. It was fun to see a few overlaps between Sarah Arthur's Light upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, and at least one poem overlaps with her book for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. I'm sure I'll revisit Waiting on the Word in future years, and it will seem just as fresh as the first time around. Reading a poem each morning was really enjoyable, and I think I'll continue the practice, which will have the double benefit of helping me work on my poetry collection. Guite has long been a favorite of mine, and I enjoy his insight into religious poetry just as much as I enjoy his own poems.

[Ben Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 Advent: added a star this time around, took a different approach in reading this year, wanted to give it another chance. I will return to the few poems that stand out in this book, the excerpts from John Milton's "Ode on the Morning of Christ's Nativity" is worth the price of admission.


*Original Review*
Got introduced to Malcolm Guite through his lectures on writing, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and the like---as well as his fun YouTube channel.

A book of poems and commentary for the full run of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany was certainly out of my normal wheelhouse as far as Advent reading goes...and it was nice to stretch my comfort zone! Over all, enjoyed this and will likely return to it or a similar work next season.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to Malcolm Guite's poetry in mid-2015. As a result, a renewed interest in poetry grew to the point I wanted poetry to be part of my everyday reading. Waiting on the Word, A poem for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany was a perfect book of poetry to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons Malcom Guite gave for each day's reading. They opened up the meaning of each poem which encouraged me to read more carefully and work a bit harder to understand and appreciate poetry.
Also read in 2018/2019, 2023 and 2024.

[Luci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed a lot of the poetry in this book. Some of it was deeper than i would have preferred bc this is a busy time of year and not conducive to pondering poetry. I think it's easier for me to ponder hymn lyrics than Keats and Herbert. 😵‍💫
I loved several of the modern Poets he used and they were all new to me.
His commentary was great. A little forced and fluffy at times. I'm not sure if this will ever be a 5 star read for me, but definitely one I will come back to!

2025: I just read the poems most days. Love his selection and his own poetry so much!

[Meghan Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I have to do is see Malcolm Guite talking about poetry on Zoom with his hobbit hair and his musical instruments in the background—I’ll start crying.

From his December 2020 Trinity Forum interview: “The only thing that gives me confidence to write poetry is the conviction that the words I use are older and wiser than I am. They’ve been around and they’ve got things to teach me if I’ll only overhear their conversation.”

This Advent anthology was a dear friend the last month.

[Corjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ‘Advent’ getipt door Tish Harrison Warren, is deze bloemlezing met heldere toelichting mooi complementair met de eerste drie deeltjes van de Fullness of Time series – en biedt daarbij een verdiepende en verfijnende leeservaring.

Om het in de woorden van Malcolm Guite zelf te zeggen, waarbij ‘anthology’ wordt gelezen in plaats van ‘poem’:
“The language of this [anthology] is essentially clear, simple, limpid. It does not draw the attention to itself or to its own technique; nevertheless, the [anthology] is very carefully and beautifully constructed.”
(5 DECEMBER)

Tot besluit krijgt de lezer nog een prachtige ‘opdracht’ mee:
“(...) so that prayers which may have been deepened for us by the poetry in this book may bear fruit in love.”
(6 JANUARY)

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm hesitant to mark it "read," as I didn't begin it until probably halfway through Advent, and even then, I missed an occasional day. That said, I refuse to go back and read past dates, on principle. 😅 I will try to remember before Advent next year that I actually own this book, and give it a go from start to finish. A lot of Malcolm Guite goes over my head, but as they mentioned in Schole Everyday, it's all right to read things that go over your head. You're not meant to understand everything as you grow and learn. Further up and further in!

[Corinne Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of poems (even a few by Guite himself). I always feel ridiculously ill-equipped to deeply appreciate poetry like I appreciate art. I don’t know the movements or techniques. And I definitely miss some very obvious themes while enjoying the word play. So having a poem followed by a page or so of commentary by Guite was perfect. It deepened each poem immensely and made me slow down a bit more for each one. A few even brought me to tears while considering Christmas, New Year, and Epiphany in light of life lately an a dear friend losing her father (amongst many other sadnesses from the past year).

This was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas.