The Generosity

by Luci Shaw

"Rejoice, readers, as you receive the generosity of Luci Shaw's 76 new grace-infused parable poems. Autobiography once more merges with theology as these poems illuminate in splendored natural detail  how the seasons of creation  parallel and explain the seasons of her  life as a poet. Again and again, these poems shower us with glorious epiphanies from the natural world as it reflects God's generosity at work such as "spring's impossible news of green." These poems confirm that in poetry as in faith "ripeness is all." Like Wordsworth, Luci is celebrated for being a highly gifted landscape poet whose works are rich in imagery from the physical world—meadows filled with seeds, flowers, and also poems which are like "shoots" in Luci's writing life. Animals, too, great and small (beetles, cricket, and voles to bears and whales) play a major role in Luci's poetics of creation; God is likened to a great bear who leaves paw tracks for us to follow. In their deep faith and vibrant colors and designs, the poems in  Generosity might be considered Luci's Book of Kells . We need to be like Luci's father who carried her poems in his briefcase to show his friends." —Philip C. Kolin, Author,  Reaching Poems;   Distinguished Professor of English (Emeritus), University of Southern Mississippi

Genres: Poetry

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 18, 2020

About the author

Luci Shaw is a Christian writer of poetry and essays.

Reviews

[Paige Cuthbertson| Turning_Every_Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly lovely. So many gorgeous poems in this little volume! I will certainly be reading more of Luci Shaw in the future.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luci’s poetry is always a pleasure to savor.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read Luci Shaw’s work in articles about her death (last December, just weeks shy of her 97th birthday). What gifts she left behind! And what a gift that her death led me to find them.

She wrote in the introduction to this collection that the title “is a reminder of the prodigal green that flourishes everywhere in nature, despite our human depredations. … This generosity gives us the means to celebrate not only our bountiful natural world, but our humanity with possibilities for displaying love and sharing and forgiveness.”

She had me in the palm of her hand from there.

Her words are all you would expect from a poet: “fear like metal in your mouth” and “the knife edge of longing.” But I was most affected by seeing the world as she saw it, from nature to family to aging.

Like this: “How extraordinary that air is so public
and rain is free,
and that every day God writes the world again
fresh from his fervent breath.”

And this: “Our parents keep circulating
in the rooms of our lives …
My mother demanded mountains
of me. I managed to supply foothills. …
I am my own narrative arc,
yet I arrange the candles and
flowers on my mantelpiece the way
my mother would have done it.”

The collection won’t take you long to read, but you may well double that time with rereading. I found it hard not to.

Two I loved, in their entirety, to give you a proper taste.

God the Bear

“Our God is a great bear
who leaves his pawprints
on the snowy trail of the lives
that we are called to live, convincing us
that He was here, now He’s moving
there. And though, as the sun
summits the high peaks, the graphics
of his purposes begin to thaw,
we’ve seen what we have seen.
The tracks invite us to step up
into the glisten of melt, over rocks
and rough scree. And though it is
out of sight, somewhere up there,
the summit raises its head with
such splendor that our blisters and bruises
are simply healed at the sight.”



The Plane Trees

“So, you decide this is worth
writing about, or painting –
the shapes of the branches on
the trees, how the afternoon sun
gleams on the variegated trunks,
how their reflections echo in the river.

You cannot change the image;
it has been there for centuries.
All you can do is move your own
body, shifting the angle here and there,
back and forth, so that you
see the thing differently,
until you find a satisfaction.

Is this how we solve
the enigmas of living? Things are
what they are and God is
who God is, unchangeable.
To satisfy our souls it is we
who must move, or be moved,
within the contours of grace.
Until. Until a fresh composition
in space, where light will
beautify our faces enough to
rearrange us in a fresh, particular
space in creation.”

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a newer (2020) poetry collection from Luci Shaw, sprinkled with some lovely gems about growing older and life as a wordsmith. For me, Shaw's poems help train me to appreciate the beauty in small details of life. Reading poetry is a way for me to stop, be fully present in the moment, and observe abundant God's creation outside and inside the walls of my house. I want to retain a sense of wonder about the mystery of quotidian life, beauty, and God.

Some of my favorite poems from this collection were "Meadow," "Free Rainfall," "Rhythms," "Berceuse" (which means lullaby), and "What to Listen For." My absolute favorites were "Midnight," "Family of Origin," and "The Child." The latter included these beautiful words:

"Growing up, I could give God only a teaspoonful
of myself. They told me he wanted
an overflow, a firehose worth. It leaks
more easily now, tracking its salt down
the wrinkles on my cheek" (page 101).

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Often, I feel as old as the stump (Isaiah 1:11), and I’m shocked as anyone that poems keep surfacing, arriving without strenuous labor on my part. I’m not claiming to be the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy, or that I’m that burgeoning shoot of green, simply that I’m attempting something improbable at the age of 91, and that I feel enlivened as fresh shoots of words jump off pages at me, demanding my attention.”

Yes, you read that right: Luci Shaw, one of my favorite poets and writers, was 91 years old when she wrote this, and can’t believe herself that she’s still putting words on the page. I’ve read her work before, but with every book I pick up, I can’t help but more deeply appreciate her insight, her faith, and her craftsmanship. This particular volume was written while the world was swelling with hate and frustration…and what do Luci’s poems communicate? Look up, look out, look down. Notice all this loveliness. We have no higher calling.

[Molly Grimmius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read slowly each morning over the past few months and savored this lovely collection of poems at the same time thinking… how have I never heard of her before. Introduced to me in Malcom Guite’s book about imagination…. There was a poem he selected to use of hers and I thought oh I like this I should read more.

Written after years of writing she reflects on beauty, life, family, water, spring, weeds and points us all to Christ.. all so accessible yet so well done with such richness of such a true poet.
Also she was friends and co wrote with Madeline L Engle… so guess I’ll have to read those next!
Saved several poems.

[Daniel Mcgregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luci Shaw delivers beautiful and simple reminders that God is present in the ordinary lives of the ordinary realities of the day today. Some of these poems surprise me, others haunt the reader. Still more leave you with a sense of grace. They are perfect for the ordinary daily poetic meditation in which I encountered them.

[Kyle McFerren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this little collection of short, unpretentious poems. Shaw writes about the simple beauty of everyday things, especially overlooked things she notices in Creation. Perfect light reading for springtime.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luci Shaw's talent for capturing normally inexpressible ideas into words continues to amaze me. She also dwells on the smaller, but equally beautiful, details of life in a way that slows me down and helps me be present where I am. I'm grateful for her work and look forward to reading more.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the bright spots of my reading year was being introduced to Luci Shaw. In "Parturition," she describes reading a novel and feeling her own narrative bubbling up inside of her, pushing her to write and create. Luci's poetry does that for me.

[Sherry Shenoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, generous gift from a wise, experienced poet in her 90s. A true generosity.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Luci Shaw’s poetry so much.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

100%, thoroughly enjoyable.

[Megan Everitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️library ebook. My first collection by this author and I chose it for poetry month (April ) and read it slowly…I enjoyed how accessible her poetry is and will certainly try some more of hers.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been too long since I read a book of poetry, had it as a regular part of my reading feast. This was a lovely place to begin again, to slow down with words and recalibrate.

[Rachel Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eugene Peterson first introduced me to Luci Shaw, and I’ve enjoyed her poetry ever since. Her poetry is delightful, surprising, refreshing- a good way to spend a few moments of peace during the day.

[Anna Bonjour · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend lent me this book, but after finishing it, I want it in my library, so I have a copy on the way!
Simple, unpretentious, moving poetry.

[Lauren Crider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite collection by Shaw, but definitely still spoke to me. My hat is off to you for all your years of writing and interpreting the world.

[Phillip Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry!

[Elizabeth Scott Tervo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best: Heartwork, Berceuse, Book of Kells. Gentle, noticing poems. Often end with a turn.

[April Bumgardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slim volume, yet it lasted me nearly a month of reading just a couple of poems a day. So many lovely thoughts and observations. Themes rooted in the everyday with a firm hand on eternity.