We wrap up “Poetry Month” by talking to D.S. Martin, a poet who has written a poetry collection inspired by C.S. Lewis, “Conspiracy of Light”.
S5E64: Poetry Month: “Conspiracy of Light”, After Hours with D.S. Martin (Download)
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Show Notes
Introduction
Quote-of-the-week
“It seems to me appropriate, almost inevitable, that when that great Imagination which in the beginning… formed the whole world of Nature, submitted to express Itself in human speech, that speech should sometimes be poetry. For poetry too is a little incarnation, giving body to what had been before invisible and inaudible.”
C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
Biographical Information
D.S. Martin is a Canadian poet, Series Editor for the Poiema Poetry Series, and Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario. His poetry has appeared in many publications around the world, such as Canadian Literature, Christian Century, Dalhousie Review, Event, Irish Times, Practical Theology and Queen’s Quarterly. He is involved in Poems For Ephesians, a poetry web-journal on the McMaster Divinity College website, he’s a participant in The Rabbit Room, and he also blogs at Kingdom Poets and The 55 Project. He and his wife, Gloria, live in Brampton, Ontario and they have two adult sons. He is the author of Angelicus, Ampersand, Poiema, and So The Moon Would Not Be Swallowed… but the main reason he’s here today is to talk about his 2013 book, Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C.S. Lewis.
Guest Biographical Information
Chit-Chat
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Beverage and Toast
- David was drinking Courvoisier Cognac
- Our guest was drinking a Newcastle Brown Ale
Discussion
1. “How does one become a poet?”
Earlier I listed some of your books and projects, but would you please tell us a little bit more about your background. How does one become a poet?
2. “Encountering Lewis”
Would you mind telling us about your early encounters with C.S. Lewis? What did you first enjoy? His prose or his poetry?
3. “Rating Lewis as a poet”
How do you rate Lewis as a poet?
4. “Strengths and weaknesses as a poet”
What do you think are the strengths and shortcomings of his poetry?
5. “Single recommendation?”
If you could only recommend one of Jack’s poems, which would you recommend?
6. “Motivation for Conspiracy of Light”
Okay, so let’s talk about your book, Conspiracy of Light… What prompted the writing of a book of poetry about C.S. Lewis?
7. “Dedication”
To whom did you dedicate the book?
8. “Forms”
In this Poetry Month, we’ve started learning about the different forms of poetry. How would you describe the poems in your book?
9. “Inspiration”
What did you take as your inspiration for these poems?
10. “Structure”
Your book is divided into seven parts. How do you group your poems?
11. “Poem #1: The Longing”
Let’s talk about your poem called The Longing, from Part One of your book (Pg 4). Would you mind reading it for us and telling us a little bit about it?
12. “Poem #2: The Great Divorce”
My favourite book of Lewis’ is The Great Divorce, and that season I offered a haiku for each chapter, so we simply must talk about your poem of the same name (Pg 69)…
13. “Poem #3: The Shove & Tumble”
Last season we went through The Screwtape Letters, so let’s talk about The Shove & Tumble, a poem from Uncle Screwtape’s perspective (Pg 78).
14. “Poem #4: Screwtape visits your local Cosco”
15. “Poem #5: Apologetics”
As I mentioned in the introduction, this season we hosted an Apologetics Month and I was delighted to discover that you had even written a poem about Apologetics (Pg 93)…
16. “Poem #6: Among the Tombs”
Narnia makes an appearance in your book too… What Lucy Saw (Pg 75) and A Parliament of Owls (Pg 76). But since this season’s Chronicle is The Horse and His Boy (my personal favourite), would you tell us about Among The Tombs (Pg 79).
17. “Poem #7: Extrapolations
As we wrap-up, we must talk about a poem inspired by this season’s book, The Four Loves. It’s called Extrapolations (Pg 17)…
