The Diary of an Old Soul & the White Page Poems

by George MacDonald, Betty K. Aberlin

In 1880, George MacDonald, the Scottish poet, novelist and preacher, in the wake of the deaths of two of his children, published A Book of Strife in the Form of the Diary of an Old Soul . This book, which unites grief and hope in hard-won faith, contains a poem for every day of the year. In the first edition of this classic collection there was a blank page opposite each page of poems. Readers were invited to write their own reflections on the "white page." MacDonald wrote: "Let your white page be ground, my print be seed, growing to golden ears, that faith and hope may feed." _._._._ Betty Aberlin, a native New Yorker of Russian-Jewish ancestry, raised in post-Holocaust orthodox atheism and nurtured in the arts, responded to MacDonald's invitation with daily poems of her own. Following the strict poetic form of The Diary of an Old Soul was an illuminating experience. In her own 7-line, 3-rhyme, 10-syllable pattern, Aberlin created a unique mixture of recurring themes and images drawing from Judaism, Christianity and her experiences as an actress and artist. Her vision is fresh and honest, revealing a keen observation of nature and human nature, from the exhilarations of faith, hope and love to the despairs of war, rejection and failure. Aberlin opens a path into spiritual reflection for the thoughtful reader to follow. _._._._ Here are a few of the accolades for The White Page Poems: _._._._ "In this labor of love, Betty Aberlin's close readings of George MacDonald's verses, and her thoughtful responses to them speak clearly of her poetic gifts and spiritual intelligence." Luci Shaw, poet and author. _._._._ "An awesome collection and collaboration." Daniel Berrigan, SJ, poet-in-residence, Fordham University. _._._._ "A fascinating new book . . . fresh and incisive." Don King, author of C.S. Lewis, Poet.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.

Reviews

[W Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Diary of an Old Soul is a long-form poem with a stanza for each day of the year. In the original edition of this poem, every other page was left blank in order for the reader to write their reflections. Many years later, Betty Aberlin undertook to use these pages to write poetic responses to MacDonald's daily entries, and the result is The White Page Poems.

MacDonald's poetic gifts are not especially pronounced - here as elsewhere, his writing can be a bit clunky. What his poetry lacks in literary refinement is made up for in his astoundingly beautiful vision of God's love and the Christian life. MacDonald exhibits great trust and hope in God, but his writing is not sentimental - much like the Psalms, this is indeed "a book of strife".

Aberlin's entries are less quaint than MacDonald's and are often highly specific in their imagery. Like him, she alternates between moments of deep melancholy and moments of exhilarating hope, frustrated by the recurring ailments of her heart yet confident in God and (when she is at her best) in herself. As a secular Jew drawn towards the figure of Christ, she has much to contribute to the conversation started by MacDonald.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most uplifting spiritual books I own! George MacDonald is always a favorite but Betty Aberlin's white page responsive poetry to MacDonald's poems are even more touching. They are elegantly written with much care and it is obvious they come from the heart of a truly poetic, sensitive soul. Let's support our woman poets! You will not be disappointed with this book. I plan on giving copies as gifts!