Explore Faith suggests a process for praying with poetry. Several poems are on the site, but the method will work with any poem. Here’s the process next to “Otherwise,” by Jane Kenyon.
One of the steps suggests journaling responses to various prompts, including “If I were to paint a picture about this poem I would include [in] my work of art”¦”
Have you ever prayed with poetry or works of art? What has been your experience with these forms of prayer?
I’ve written a few verses myself and I find that they are are simply expressions of my faith, my love, my disappointments, my struggles, my dreams lifted up to a loving God who’s always there with a listening heart.
I agree. As a frustrated “meditator”, I found putting it in art as a medium I best relate to ( without those twinges of conscience). I know that what I put down is hardly art, yet it keeps me focused for the moment – something like working on an icon.
I saw the tweet: Have you ever tried praying with poetry?@loyolapress.
My experience with a similar approach is the Lectio Divina, reading a scripture passage and then contemplating on it, a version similar to the article could be with the psalms. And praying for saints intercession in front of icons or paintings is also a related approach many have practiced.
Yet, the article takes poetry praying several steps further in a unique kind of way. The “meditate with poetry” portion of the ExploreFaith.org site is of interest to me. I will give this method a try.