Sunday Poetry: She Half Expects to Find Three Magi

Welcome to Sunday Poetry.  If this is your first visit you can read about the purpose and inspiration of my Sunday poetry blogs here.

I love this time of year.  I love the traditions that come with it, religious and otherwise, although I could be easily persuaded not to love shopping or worrying if a gift carefully chosen is gift enough.

When my children were still living at home we made a few forays into the world of gingerbread houses, and now I’ve begun the tradition of sending my granddaughter a gingerbread house kit to decorate and enjoy each holiday.  Advent by Mary Jo Salter takes a closer look at this ritual, as only a poem can.  Salter is an important figure in the New Formalist movement of poetry, and if you don’t know what that means, neither did I.  The good news is that in no way will that affect your appreciation of this poem. 

Remember there are no quizzes here, no right ways to read or contemplate the poem we share.  Absolutely no dissecting allowed.  Just come along for the “read.”  What line, word or thought will you carry with you this week?  If you’d like to tell us where the poem took you?  We’ll listen.

2 Comments

  1. Lil on December 11, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    “She half-expects to find Scripture on tablets of gingerbread.” Christmas time blends baking and religion. Christmas blends magical with real. That’s part of why adults can “half-expect” to become children at this time of year.

    • Emilie Richards on December 11, 2011 at 5:31 pm

      Thank you. A nice insight for us to ponder, Lil.

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