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The Secret Gospel of Mark
An exquisite memoir of a life saved by poetry.
"This is a portrait of the artist, narrated by a priest and a poet and a gay man with tenderness and searing honesty. Spencer Reece weaves the poetry he loves into how he has lived, the poetry as solace and relief, as confirmation and rescue, as redemption." —Colm Toíbín
The Secret Gospel of Mark is a powerful dynamo of a story that delicately weaves the author's experiences with an appreciation for seven great literary Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, James Merrill, Mark Strand, George Herbert, and Gerard Manley Hopkins. In speaking to the beauty these poets' works inspire in him, Reece finds the beauty of his own life's journey, a path that runs from coming of age as a gay teenager in the 1980s, Yale, alcoholism, a long stint as a Brooks Brothers salesman, Harvard Divinity School, and leads finally to hard-won success as a poet, reconciliation with his family, and the fulfillment of finding his life's work as an Episcopal priest. Reece's writing approaches the truth and beauty of the writers who have influenced him; elliptical and direct, always beautifully rendered.
"This is a portrait of the artist, narrated by a priest and a poet and a gay man with tenderness and searing honesty. Spencer Reece weaves the poetry he loves into how he has lived, the poetry as solace and relief, as confirmation and rescue, as redemption." —Colm Toíbín
The Secret Gospel of Mark is a powerful dynamo of a story that delicately weaves the author's experiences with an appreciation for seven great literary Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, James Merrill, Mark Strand, George Herbert, and Gerard Manley Hopkins. In speaking to the beauty these poets' works inspire in him, Reece finds the beauty of his own life's journey, a path that runs from coming of age as a gay teenager in the 1980s, Yale, alcoholism, a long stint as a Brooks Brothers salesman, Harvard Divinity School, and leads finally to hard-won success as a poet, reconciliation with his family, and the fulfillment of finding his life's work as an Episcopal priest. Reece's writing approaches the truth and beauty of the writers who have influenced him; elliptical and direct, always beautifully rendered.
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Published March 9, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 11, 2021
Spencer Reece’s The Secret Gospel of Mark, a memoir and a poignant eulogy to poetry, has reminded me why I enjoy reading prose written by poets so profoundly.
Although Reece’s writing is honest to the bone, and his words are precise and often sharp as a knife, I could not get enough of the richness of his metaphors that kept my five senses on alert: “I shook like a bell struck”, “her heart was a pot left simmering on the stove”, “he was as small and delicate as a book of poems”, “streets were quiet as museums”, “the cathedral at the center a paperweight that holds the whole town down”.
The Secret Gospel of Mark is a story of repressed sexuality and shame, of alcoholism, AIDS, broken family ties, and of perpetual search for meaning. It’s a story of a life falling apart, often held together only by the redeeming power of poetry, Reece’s second religion.
Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Dickinson, George Herbert, Gerald Manley Hopkins, James Merrill, Mark Strand, and many others accompanied Reece in his darkest moments of despair, of feeling out of time like “the leper from the Gospel of Mark, caged in smelly skin”, helping him to feel real, providing a space to breath, and finally helping him claim his way to sobriety.
Highly recommended to all believers in the power of poetry, as well as those who still need some convincing.
Although Reece’s writing is honest to the bone, and his words are precise and often sharp as a knife, I could not get enough of the richness of his metaphors that kept my five senses on alert: “I shook like a bell struck”, “her heart was a pot left simmering on the stove”, “he was as small and delicate as a book of poems”, “streets were quiet as museums”, “the cathedral at the center a paperweight that holds the whole town down”.
The Secret Gospel of Mark is a story of repressed sexuality and shame, of alcoholism, AIDS, broken family ties, and of perpetual search for meaning. It’s a story of a life falling apart, often held together only by the redeeming power of poetry, Reece’s second religion.
Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Dickinson, George Herbert, Gerald Manley Hopkins, James Merrill, Mark Strand, and many others accompanied Reece in his darkest moments of despair, of feeling out of time like “the leper from the Gospel of Mark, caged in smelly skin”, helping him to feel real, providing a space to breath, and finally helping him claim his way to sobriety.
Highly recommended to all believers in the power of poetry, as well as those who still need some convincing.
October 26, 2021
This gorgeous memoir by the poet and Episcopal priest Spencer Reece paints a tender portrait of a life sustained and saved by the magic of poetry as well as the message of the Resurrection. Spencer has faced many challenges in his life so far—among them, struggling with alcoholism and coming to terms with his sexuality—and this work follows those challenges alongside close readings of the poets whose work accompanied his journey. In this way, the book is not just “A Poet’s Memoir” but also very much a reader’s memoir; a comparable book in this sense would be Yiyun Li’s Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life. Like Yiyun Li, Spencer portrays a deeply intimate relationship with his personal literary canon in a way that makes me feel like the world’s writers (and poets and artists and, honestly, every human soul) from all different generations really do form one big cosmic family. If you feel lonely on your journey, here is your “space to breathe.” This book means a lot to me as a writer and as a queer Christian.
March 12, 2022
Oh my goodness. I am overwhelmed. I teared up too many times to count. This was filled with so much heartbreak and pain, but also so much beauty and grace.
July 27, 2022
I was first introduced to Reece's poetry in my MFA program, and just loved it. This is a beautiful, heart-aching series of brief meditations on family, literature, community, addiction, faith, and love.
June 19, 2021
Heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time. A worthy read for anyone who wonders what makes poets and what makes poems.
January 1, 2022
This memoir moved me beyond words. What a testimony.
January 29, 2024
I was inspired to pick up The Secret Gospel of Mark after I read All Down Darkness Wide, a memoir by poet Sean Hewitt that contains similar themes to those presented in Reese’s book. This is a lengthy review, but in short, if you have even an inkling of interest in poetry, I highly recommend this one.
In this memoir, Reese recounts a meandering, somewhat troubled life: a tumultuous childhood in the Midwest rung by the clamor of his parents’ constant arguing, crippling spells of self-sabotage and alcoholism in college, and the through-line of shame that accompanies existing as a closeted gay man. Although Reese ultimately becomes an Episcopal priest, it is poetry, rather than the church, in which Reese finds salvation. Reese reflects on the poetry of several prominent poets whose work has commanded his attention from his early adulthood into his fifties. These poets range from Plath to Bishop to Strand, several of whom were strongly rumored to be or were openly queer. As Reese discusses his evolving relationship with these poets and recounts the arc of his life, his emotive writing sparkles, employing striking metaphors to great effect, the way only a poet writing prose could.
I’ve enjoyed poetry since high school, and that affinity has, upon reflection, proven somewhat intelligible: poetry’s eloquence and frills, synonymous in character with the extravagance and flamboyance that animate queer people’s existence. With that said, this memoir helped me appreciate poetry in ways I hadn’t before. In its close, almost psychic reading of his heroes’ poems, I learned to scrutinize poems for things I’ve never thought to look for before. Toward the end of the book, Reese also states, “Reading poems helped me when I could barely blunder on with shame that crippled me.” Although poetry’s effusiveness frustrates some, that same opacity and indirectness operates as its own form of shelter, allowing Hopkins, Bishop, and other poets to furtively yet cathartically allude to their same-sex attractions in their art. By illustrating poetry’s unique ability to both hold space for and dilute the effects of shame, Reese’s love for poetry only strengthened my own.
All told, Reese’s effective argument in favor of the necessity of poetry, along with his eloquent yet honest writing, resonated strongly with me. My only minor critiques are that: (1) the memoir could have arguably been 50-100 pages shorter, and (2) as an individual who’s shed the faith I was raised with, some of the (admittedly sparing) religious metaphors fell a bit flat for me, although you absolutely do not need to be religious to appreciate what this book accomplishes.
In this memoir, Reese recounts a meandering, somewhat troubled life: a tumultuous childhood in the Midwest rung by the clamor of his parents’ constant arguing, crippling spells of self-sabotage and alcoholism in college, and the through-line of shame that accompanies existing as a closeted gay man. Although Reese ultimately becomes an Episcopal priest, it is poetry, rather than the church, in which Reese finds salvation. Reese reflects on the poetry of several prominent poets whose work has commanded his attention from his early adulthood into his fifties. These poets range from Plath to Bishop to Strand, several of whom were strongly rumored to be or were openly queer. As Reese discusses his evolving relationship with these poets and recounts the arc of his life, his emotive writing sparkles, employing striking metaphors to great effect, the way only a poet writing prose could.
I’ve enjoyed poetry since high school, and that affinity has, upon reflection, proven somewhat intelligible: poetry’s eloquence and frills, synonymous in character with the extravagance and flamboyance that animate queer people’s existence. With that said, this memoir helped me appreciate poetry in ways I hadn’t before. In its close, almost psychic reading of his heroes’ poems, I learned to scrutinize poems for things I’ve never thought to look for before. Toward the end of the book, Reese also states, “Reading poems helped me when I could barely blunder on with shame that crippled me.” Although poetry’s effusiveness frustrates some, that same opacity and indirectness operates as its own form of shelter, allowing Hopkins, Bishop, and other poets to furtively yet cathartically allude to their same-sex attractions in their art. By illustrating poetry’s unique ability to both hold space for and dilute the effects of shame, Reese’s love for poetry only strengthened my own.
All told, Reese’s effective argument in favor of the necessity of poetry, along with his eloquent yet honest writing, resonated strongly with me. My only minor critiques are that: (1) the memoir could have arguably been 50-100 pages shorter, and (2) as an individual who’s shed the faith I was raised with, some of the (admittedly sparing) religious metaphors fell a bit flat for me, although you absolutely do not need to be religious to appreciate what this book accomplishes.
January 17, 2025
this book reads like a prime example of a writer using a commonplace book (in the 18th-century writer sense) in practice. tidbits of poetry are interspersed with a retelling of an at once very interesting and also meandering life. it was an enjoyable enough read and the prose is wonderful, but i'm not sure i actually took anything away from this. maybe because the life being retold here is about as far from my personal experience as possible (at present), but nothing hit a chord and i almost didn't finish.
to be fair, i only picked this book up because the quote on the cover is by carolyn forche, author of my favorite book to ever exist.
to be fair, i only picked this book up because the quote on the cover is by carolyn forche, author of my favorite book to ever exist.
September 2, 2021
I am glad that he wrote this!
My image of his life turned out to be so far from
Its reality. Admittedly when i first opened this book I wasn’t into it but over a long train ride recently i became engrossed.
My image of his life turned out to be so far from
Its reality. Admittedly when i first opened this book I wasn’t into it but over a long train ride recently i became engrossed.
September 15, 2023
Good read!
Interesting memoir of an episcopal priest and poet. Many great things to take away. Fascinating discussion of addiction, priesthood, and coming to terms with one’s self.
Second time reading, wonderful biography dealing with family, faith, community, poetry, addiction, and shame. All the good stuff. Spencer Reece uses many wonderful reccuring images which leaves the reader wanting more, finally reconciling with God and his mother, after years of self hatred and distance between the two, his own "Little Entrance". The story telling makes you want to keep going. It's brisk and interesting, discussing many poets and their journeys with faith, and adventures in Spain. A book to be read a third time.
Interesting memoir of an episcopal priest and poet. Many great things to take away. Fascinating discussion of addiction, priesthood, and coming to terms with one’s self.
Second time reading, wonderful biography dealing with family, faith, community, poetry, addiction, and shame. All the good stuff. Spencer Reece uses many wonderful reccuring images which leaves the reader wanting more, finally reconciling with God and his mother, after years of self hatred and distance between the two, his own "Little Entrance". The story telling makes you want to keep going. It's brisk and interesting, discussing many poets and their journeys with faith, and adventures in Spain. A book to be read a third time.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews