What is Poetry?

 

What is poetry, how can it be defined? I believe that it is a form of self-expression. I once read somewhere that poetry could be described as a “painting in words”, which seems very appropriate. Probably many people find that to read or write verse, if you are that inclined, is a very therapeutic exercise. Is it escapism, or a way of dealing with life?

 

These days, it is encouraging to learn that more people than you might think, have turned their hand to creative writing. Most of them write because they love to, and it is just a bonus if their work gets published.

 

The power of words is mighty, and should not be under-estimated. I think to Terry Waite, former emissary to The Archbishop of Canterbury, when he was taken hostage and kept in solitary confinement for several years. He was able to bring to remembrance The Book of Common Prayer, and its Collects and Psalms, which had remained in his memory from childhood. They were a great source of comfort in his unpredictable circumstances all those years ago.

 

There are also school children who show great promise with their writing talents, and wouldn’t it be nice if this Newsletter could publish some of their work? Thanks to the Newsletter for publishing my efforts for so long!

 

FR

HER MAJESTY AND COMMON WORSHIP

 

On Christmas Day, my sister and I sat down after our lunch to watch the Queen’s address to the Commonwealth at 3 o’clock, and I wondered what percentage of the population actually do watch this annual event: the papers don’t seem to publish figures for that.  It was not long before I felt I had to query the wisdom of Her Majesty’s advisers, when she quoted from the traditional Bidding Prayer of the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, adding that they were words “which are so familiar to us all”.  Has no one told the Queen that only about 10% of the population actually attend church regularly, and an even smaller proportion are practising members of the Established Church?

 

I did not voice my views, as being a mere man, I am not allowed to have opinions (!), but my sister’s reaction to this quotation was stranger than mine.  She said, indignantly: “That’s not in Common Worship!” 

 

Well, as far as I can see, my comments would still apply, but it does show how ignorant some people are of what the series of Common Worship books actually contain.  The Bidding Prayer, which the Queen quoted, has never been part of the Book of Common Prayer, and did not in fact appear in any official Church of England publication until 1984 – in one of the seasonal supplements to the Alternative Service Book.  It is now in the Seasonal supplement to Common Worship, so I’m afraid my sister was wrong.

 

It is a widely held misconception that the Common Worship books only contain modern language services.  The first volume, for example, contains four different versions of the Communion Service, two of which are in “traditional language”.  One of these is virtually the Prayer Book service (with only one word changed – and that to an alternative permitted since 1928!).  It also contains the services of Morning & Evening Prayer and Compline, in both traditional and modern language versions.  The Collects and Post-Communion prayers for all Sundays and major Feast Days are also printed in both traditional and modern language versions.  The only other service in the first Common Worship book is Holy Baptism, and this is the one service in modern language only.  Traditional and modern language canticles are provided, but the Psalms are only in modern language.

 

Another volume (Pastoral Services - bound in green) includes provision for weddings and funerals, and a third volume (bound in red) - provides readings and alternative services for weekday morning and evening prayer.  A book of services for special times and Seasons (bound in brown) replaces the two supplements to the A.S.B., and this is where orders of service for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Carol services appear, along with special services for Holy Week and other times.  It is in this book that the Bidding Prayer and the format for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols appears – once again in traditional language, but with an alternative modern

version, which I notice King’s College Cambridge now use (at least for the televised version of the Carol Service).

 

With so many Common Worship books (most of them quite heavy volumes), it is not surprising that parishes cannot provide them for congregational use, but tend to print off their own version (it’s quite legal to do so).  But I sometimes wonder whether in some parishes the priest has chosen his or her preferred version, and presented it to the P.C.C. as a fait accompli.  Even when a Worship Committee exists, it is doubtful if members have seen all the possible alternatives.  The Communion service we use on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays is correctly known as Order One, but there are eight alternative versions of the Prayer of Consecration to choose from, as well as several other options (the Lord’s Prayer can be used in modern or traditional version, for example), so one can understand if clergy are somewhat selective here.  The service we use on the 1st and 3rd Sundays is called Order Two in the Common Worship books.  Readings, Collects and Post-Communion prayers for most of the lesser saints days appear in yet another volume for the benefit of those churches which maintain a daily Eucharist, and once again both modern and traditional versions of the Collects and Post-Communions are available. 

 

GD