Parable and Paradox: Sonnets on the Sayings of Jesus and Other Poems

by Malcolm Guite

Since the publication of the bestselling Sounding the Seasons, Malcolm Guite has repeatedly been asked for more sonnets. This new collection offers a sequence of 50 sonnets that focus on many passages in the the Beatitudes, parables and miracles, teachings on the Kingdom, and the ‘hard sayings’ - Jesus’ challenging demands with which we wrestle. In addition this collection • A sequence of five sonnets on 'The Wilderness', exploring mysterious stories of divine encounter such as Jacob’s wrestling with the angel. • Poetic reflections on music, hospitality and ecology. • Seven short poems celebrating the days of creation. • A biblical index pairing the poems with scripture readings for use in worship.

Genres: Poetry, Christianity, Book Club, Christian, Theology

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2016

Reviews

[J. Alfred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonnets are kind of a thing in the history of English Poetry. There are some pretty important ones by some guys you may have heard of. And yet I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that Guite's sonnets are more subtly emotionally graded, and do more searching intellectual work, than any that I've ever come across. (Part of this, sure, comes from the fact that most of the other sonnet sequences of any note are primarily about Romantic love, while these are all about the love of God, so they seem different because they are.) I think you should read these poems, especially the "Four Saints" and "Seven Sonnets on the Lord's Prayer" subsets.
"In Praise of Decay" is a marvelous little song about how we harm the earth with plastic, which, because it doesn't change, is like God, and how things that are like but unlike God are only deceitful goods.
Go forth. Read good things.

[Jaslyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Sonnet for the Unseen"

"So much goes unseen and stays unsaid,
So much that carers keep within their hearts;
The children who get parents out of bed,
Already tired before their school day starts,
The neighbours who keep giving up their time,
To add a daily round of extra care,
Veronicas who cleanse the sweat and grime,
And those whose gift is simply being there,
The patient partners lifting up a cross
To bear the burden their belovèd bears,
Who ease each other through the pain and loss
And feel that no one sees, and no one cares.
But there is One to hear, to feel, to see
And he will say, 'Ye did it unto me.'"

[Ivy Greenwood]

And so I come and ask you how to pray,
seeking a distant supplicant’s position,
Only to find you give your words away,
As though I stood with you in your position,
As though your Father were my Father too,
As though I found his “welcome home” in you.

[Simona Sanduleac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these poems were so painfully glorious they make me forgive the mystic catholicism of the poet.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially...

•Because We Hunkered Down
•As If
•Thy Kingdom Come

And don’t miss the preface.

[Jess Debanné · Rating 3 out of 5]

this wasn’t my favorite of guite’s works, but i do have to say his ability to weave theology and intellect and worship into sonnets, whilst leveraging the power of metaphor, is unmatched.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This I loved. Not the first miscellaneous poems in the book, but the actual sonnets on sayings of Jesus. Beautiful and stirring.

*Forgive and you yourselves will be forgiven.*

What if we walked together on this path,

What if the whole world laid aside its wrath,

And things were done on earth as though in heaven,

As though the heart’s dark knots were all undone,

As though this dreamer weren’t the only one?

—Malcolm Guite, Parable and Paradox

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reading this collection; it won’t be my last.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at Regent College where I got to sit in Guite's class for a week and listen to him explain the possibilities for metaphor that sparked his imagination and I loved every second of it. This book will always remind me of that incredible gift from my husband (a trip to Vancouver to meet my favorite poet!) However, to be honest, I didn't think this was his finest collection of poems. So, compared to most other books it is a five star, but compared to his other poetry collections this was a four star for me.

[Elizabeth Mayberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last several Lent seasons I have read Word in the Wilderness: A Poem a Day for Lent and Easter (April 2023 & April 2024) It is really enjoyable and I recommend the read, but this Lent I wanted to read something new. So I picked up this book as "Sonnets on the Sayings of Jesus" sounded like a wonderful pairing this time of year as well. This book is entirely Malcolm Guite's poetry which I enjoyed. Being able to hear more from him and fall into his rhythm of poetry was a treat. I did feel like some of the "and other poems" felt pretty random and I didn't like them at the front of the book when the book title includes them last. I would have preferred it to be entirely poems reflecting on the sayings of Jesus. That being said, Smoke Rings from my Pipe is one of my favorite poems of his - so that is always nice to read. I found I was encouraged and inspired to have new eyes when looking at very familiar words of Jesus. What a gift.

[Joshua Carney]

I've decided i will no longer rate books of poetry. To do so would be to protest the form. Poetry can be good or bad in terms of content. But the experience of badness or goodness is am much predicated on the reader as it is the writer. How can one say if a writer has successfully described or interacted with or hinted at the ineffable. Guite's poetry is more ambitious in that his content is divine, explicitly so. I would say the best word to describe the work I do as a reader of poetry is reckon. I am still reckoning with some of his poems. I'll return to this book as I do with many good conversation partners.

[ana neu · Rating 4 out of 5]

'only your heart will do. let me begin,
to break the ground and plant a see that grows
up through the closing darkness of your sin
till your unsightly roots bring forth my rose.
for i have learned to make the broken true
since my heart too was broken once for you.'

- guite

this book was a gift from my dear pastor from an old highschool. i adored reading the way the poet encapsulated both modern and poetic writing wrapped in the words of the lord.

lovely!!

[Margaret D'Anieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives a new slant to familiar scriptures - love it and will return to it.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!

[Kevin Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

[Kenneth Malott]

Beautiful poetry exploring Jesus in an elegant and thoughtful manner.

[Jacob Vahle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved using this in my 8th grade Gospels class as a way to open things up in a more contemplative and poetic way.

[K.L. Ditmars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry from a master poet with a heart after God.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh. Poetry. The only thing better than reading Guite is listening to him recite his poetry.

[Anna Strasma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, fresh reflections on familiar scriptures 💕

[Danielle Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The selections in every one of Malcolm Guite's books always deliver ones that speak directly to my heart. The way he uses words to express his faith in poetry is masterful.