Fridays are special here. I set aside some time to revel in the arts and to encourage you (and myself) to praise God through art, and to learn to think biblically about the arts. I regularly link to the photography of Steve McCoy, Joe Thorn, Alex Forrest, Timmy Brister, and Joe Kennedy as well as the history musings of Will Turner. I also take time to highlight a specific poet and include at least a couple of poems since we’re all about using language, it’s nice to see it done well!

In addition, I also try to highlight a different musical artist that has music available for free downloading. Typically I also post “The Weekly Town Crier” which is simply a collection of some of the links that I’ve found interesting over the past week. However, due to the Louisville trip, I really didn’t have time for any online reading, so we’ll forego the Town Crier today and proceed with the poetry and music.

Today’s featured poet is Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Dickinson was the epitome of the “unknown artist” during her time. She was virtually unkown, ignored or both as a poet during her lifetime. It is estimated that she wrote nearly 2,000 poems that we know of and only a handful were published during her lifetime, most anonymously, some probably without her knowledge. However, she is now considered one of the greatest American poets.

Dickinson’s influence has only increased over the years, whether it be her mastery of the ballad, or her unconventional use of dashes and capitalization. Most of Dickinson’s poems are untitled, but many editors have grouped them into four “landmarks,” being “Life, Nature, Love, Time and Eternity.” Within each of these “landmarks,” poems typically go by Roman numerals. Today’s poems feature one selection from “Life” and one from “Love.”

Life: XVI

To fight aloud is very brave,
But gallanter, I know,
Who charge within the bosom,
The calvary of woe.

Who win, and nations do not see,
Who fall, and none observe,
Whose dying eyes no country
Regards with patriot love.

We trust, in plumed procession,
For such the angels go,
Rank after rank, with even feet
And uniforms of snow.

Love: XXX

In lands I never saw, they say,
Immortal Alps look down,
Whose bonnets touch the firmament,
Whose sandals touch the town, -

Meek at whose everlasting feet
A myriad daisies play.
Which, sir, are you, and which am I,
Upon an August day?

• Read Wikipedia’s entry on Emily Dickinson.
• Buy The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson.

And now for the music. Ah, the music. Today’s music is again instrumental and comes from a Portland, OR band that I have just recently discovered called Bright Red Paper. Featuring cello, bass, guitar and percussion, the Portland Tribune describes the band by saying, “‘Eclectic’ and ‘mesmerizing’ are two words that tend to get abused when describing music, so let’s label Bright Red Paper ‘enchanting.” I couldn’t agree more. Much in the vein of …As the Poets Affirm, some Rachel’s and Clogs. Enjoy:

• Download “D is For Dead Sea”
• Download “A World Collapsed” (excerpt only)
• Visit Bright Red Paper’s official website.