Jane Scharl is our guest today, as we journey further into the life of David Jones, specifically, his long poem “The Anathemata.” She gives a wonderful overview of this complex poem, so if you are thinking about reading it (or even if you have read it before), this episode is
There is so much in this conversation! I keep coming back to the part when Jane says “Everything will burn… you either burn outside the camp or on the altar…” May our lives be worthy sacrifices. At church this last week, the passage of scripture we read was Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares. I find it a challenging one, but it helped me to think about Jane’s words and Jones’ gathering of everything in the Eucharist as I thought about both the tares and the wheat. Thank you all for brilliant conversations!
Hi Sam... I would say my jonesing has been the fortuitousness of support in engaging the practice of writing as another way of marking, sculpting, woodworking, composing tunes, laughing, touching, exploring, painting - Jones assists folk in recognizing that human makings (even in language) are not simply containers for concepts or in order to make meanings, but explorations, forays, constructions, activities, extensions in forms, not necessarily attempts at communication. I am grateful for you all engaging carefully with his work - and a wonderful addition to seeing language not as "about" things but having their own aboutness in form and being... fun to think back across all the human activities full of the colors of dust from Grunewald to Ruth (Scriptural), poesy to farming, in toward new considerations of the verbal engagements you have elected as approaches into them... and now even those lines on air or breezes into microphones we begin to see as shapely markings, additive inventions, viney and structural....
Nathan, that’s such an amazing comment. Sorry it’s taken a while to respond, but I couldn’t find it on Substack, to go back to it. What you’re saying about the act of speaking and writing itself is a form of art, regardless of a separate ‘end’ goal, is quite relieving to me! I think, “Ha! Yes!” Almost like Adam and Eve, picking up their voices for the first time, like a child picks up a new instrument, and just begins playing it for the first time. Just to glory in the thing that it is. It gives me permission not to feel like I always have to say something important, and just to say things that harmonize, if that makes sense.
I’m still in awe of the intelligent and creative people God puts into our lives. I am thankful for the gifts they bring. Just knowing that David’s father was a typesetter and influenced the way he saw letters and words gives an entire new richness to In Parenthesis. I’m into Part 2 and can already see I’m reading it with more open eyes. Congrats to Jane and her family—babies are the best!
There is so much in this conversation! I keep coming back to the part when Jane says “Everything will burn… you either burn outside the camp or on the altar…” May our lives be worthy sacrifices. At church this last week, the passage of scripture we read was Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares. I find it a challenging one, but it helped me to think about Jane’s words and Jones’ gathering of everything in the Eucharist as I thought about both the tares and the wheat. Thank you all for brilliant conversations!
I’m so glad you liked it, Kim!
Tremendous 🙏🏼
Thank you, Nathan! Let me know how you have been growing in “Jones” lately.
Hi Sam... I would say my jonesing has been the fortuitousness of support in engaging the practice of writing as another way of marking, sculpting, woodworking, composing tunes, laughing, touching, exploring, painting - Jones assists folk in recognizing that human makings (even in language) are not simply containers for concepts or in order to make meanings, but explorations, forays, constructions, activities, extensions in forms, not necessarily attempts at communication. I am grateful for you all engaging carefully with his work - and a wonderful addition to seeing language not as "about" things but having their own aboutness in form and being... fun to think back across all the human activities full of the colors of dust from Grunewald to Ruth (Scriptural), poesy to farming, in toward new considerations of the verbal engagements you have elected as approaches into them... and now even those lines on air or breezes into microphones we begin to see as shapely markings, additive inventions, viney and structural....
Nathan, that’s such an amazing comment. Sorry it’s taken a while to respond, but I couldn’t find it on Substack, to go back to it. What you’re saying about the act of speaking and writing itself is a form of art, regardless of a separate ‘end’ goal, is quite relieving to me! I think, “Ha! Yes!” Almost like Adam and Eve, picking up their voices for the first time, like a child picks up a new instrument, and just begins playing it for the first time. Just to glory in the thing that it is. It gives me permission not to feel like I always have to say something important, and just to say things that harmonize, if that makes sense.
Loved this episode and now I want to run to the library and get more David Jones!
Thanks Zina! I think he’s inexhaustible.
Oh do!! Let us know how it goes!
I’m still in awe of the intelligent and creative people God puts into our lives. I am thankful for the gifts they bring. Just knowing that David’s father was a typesetter and influenced the way he saw letters and words gives an entire new richness to In Parenthesis. I’m into Part 2 and can already see I’m reading it with more open eyes. Congrats to Jane and her family—babies are the best!
Thank you for this gratuitous offering of worship ❤️🙏🏼