Hymns and Poetry Month

 

When I was taking guitar and mandolin lessons my excellent teacher asked if I wanted to write a hymn. More than once he suggested I write the lyrics which we could then set to music. I responded that many of the hymns written by clergy seemed overly earnest and far too wordy. They were too often sermons crammed into music rather than spare and lyrical or poetic. There are exceptions of course. Walter Farquharson's collaborations with Ron Klusmeier can be quite poetic, including the lovely Stay With Me Through the Night. 

I figured I should write about hymns as poetry before Poetry Month comes to an end. Hymns and praise songs can be downright disturbing or embarrassing in their theology. Some such as There is a Fountain Filled With Blood are all gore and no poetry. The "me and Jesus" choruses are too often vapid. 

I really appreciate the lyrics of contemporary hymns such as Called By Earth and Sky (More Voices 135) and To Show By Touch and Word (Voices United 427). Ya, they are "earthy" hymns, and I have a bias that way. I'm partial to Come and Find the Quiet Centre (VU 374) as well.

I love oldie goldie's such As Comes the Breath of Spring and Joy to the World and Be Thou My Vision and Come Down O Love Divine for both words and music. Sometimes I enjoy the "heirloom" lyrics of those time-honoured hymns. Wait, wait...I'll add Ride On, Ride On in Majesty.

My all-time favourite? It has to be I Feel the Winds of God Today (VU 625) which may have been written as a tribute to the Celtic saint, Brendan the Voyager. Whenever I sing it I want to cry and set out to sea at the same time.It's been argued that this is the greatest hymn of the English language, and I would readily agree. I love some of the new-to-me World Music hymns as well, but the translation from other languages may undermine the poetry.


What do you think? Can hymn lyrics be poetry, or do they need to be? I should probably read the book pictured above. And do you have poetic favourites?