Poetry Review    

With Glory and Honor:

Daily Devotions for Each Day of the Year
by Barbara Longstreth Mulkey

America House Book Publishers. 2002

Paperback, $24.95 (389pp)

ISBN:1-59129-144-5

 

I’m not a great fan of dribbly thoughts about religion that are iced over with sugarcoated pious overtones of underthought theology.  Occasionally, however, something sticks out in the literature that catches my eye—something that is based on Biblical principles and that approaches the sublime and empirical truth: With Glory and Honor is, in my opinion, one of those works.  

As with other considered pieces, such as The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, or My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, Mulkey’s poems at once speaks of truths within truths, and do not simply echo already-stated scripture. 

The book is organized into a collection of Scripture references, original poetry relating to those references (by Mrs. Mulkey) and a relevant thought for the day (also by the author)...one for each day of the year.  On the back cover of her book, Mulkey maintains that her poetry is not “preachy,” and I find that it is not.  It is simply reflective and based upon her own experience and understanding.  As a wife of a retired United Methodist Minister, she has a deep well of experience to draw from, you may agree. 

Barbara was also the director of the Arkansas Writers’ Conference this last year and has taught English and journalism as well as being in a weekly newspaper column and a poetry editor.  She lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

I quote now from selected pages of her book that I found to be significant:

From January 24^th: 

A Word 

There’s nothing else in all the world

as lovely as a word.

As gorgeous as a sunset is

or radiant redbird.

yet still the word of kindness ranks

as beauty unsurpassed.

 

For though I marvel at the sight

of snow, it will not last,

and while a tree, in autumn shades

of red and burnished gold

with sunlight playing on the leaves,

is something to behold…

 

there is nothing so exquisite

as just the one right word

spoken at the one right moment

it needed to be heard.

Some snippets come to mind also:

From March 5:

                             If God forgives and clears the slate

                             And calls for us to dwell

                             In present light…not prior night…

                             Why keep ourselves in hell?

Her “Thought for the Day:”

“I will try to forget my past mistakes and misdeeds, accept God’s forgiveness, and forgive myself.  I will move on into the light.” 

From February 9:

                             And if we ask for faith then plead,

                             “Let no troubles come our way,”

                             it isn’t really faith we want,

                             but ease and plenty from earth’s font.

This, from November 21 (about Thanksgiving Day)

                             One day each year that’s set aside

                             For giving thanks to God

                             Seems extremely insufficient

                             And just a little odd.

 

                             What with all the days we’re given—

                             Three-hundred-sixty-five—

                             In which to profit from God’s blessings,

                             To hoard earth’s gifts, to thrive…

Finally, there is this, from December 7 (And perhaps my favorite Mulkey poem!)

No Regrets 

The land is being cleared,

so nothing on it grows,

but just before the bush was cut

I saved a bright, red rose.

 

Though it won’t live for long,

I saved a rose today,

and I was blessed by loveliness

beyond all pay.

 

Just think of all the gifts

that we could ever get,

and none beats life lived so that there

is no regret.

 

Today I saved a rose…

was all that could be done;

but if I save one rose each day…

regrets?…there will be none.

Robert L. Hall

Southern Scribe Reviews

 

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