Contemplatively Sweet: Slow-Down Poems to Ponder

by Charles C. Finn

The poems in Contemplatively Sweet incline more towards being than becoming.They are slow-down, pondering poems, coaxing the reader to mull and muse andsavor. While arranged in the order they were written, there is no "story line" with either beginning or end. The reader is invited to stop and linger whereverher or his heart is drawn. Webster's definition of "contemplate" is "to gaze attentively, to look at intently, to study carefully, to meditate or muse, sometimes specifically in a mystical or religious way." Contrary to the judgment of our extroverted culture that such apparent non-activity is non-productive, irrelevant, escapist or worse, this collection of poetry holds the exact opposite. Contemplation is not only good for the soul but eminently practical, adding depth, as it does, to the quality of our work and to the caring of our relationships. It is also, for one cultivating the interior life, inexpressibly sweet. Plentiful in the pages of Contemplatively Sweet are references to and quotes from other contemplative kin. One of the great joys on the spirit journey is continuously discovering new riches, and then sharing the wealth.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2004

About the author

Charles ("Charlie") Carroll Finn (Born September 21, 1941), is an American poet most notable for writing "Please Hear What I Am Not Saying" in September 1966.

Finn grew up in Cincinnati, OH, the second of three children. After high-school, Finn spent 10 years in the Society of Jesus before leaving the Jesuits and getting Literature and Psychology degrees from Chicago's Loyola University.

In 1979 Finn relocated to outside Roanoke, VA with his wife and practices as a licensed professional counselor. Finn has published over 20 books of his original poetry and history on topics such as the Civil War, Quakerism and Spirituality.