Outside the Darkened Sill

Seth begins by reading his poem “More than a Watchman,” while Jack lulls us with his beautiful banjo. Then we talk about hunger for God’s presence and the role of the watchman. Our focus is on the window in the stomach from Jack’s linocut carving “The Spiritual Mechanics of Labor and Rest.” This gets us into coyotes and hunger, the restless heart, the bowels of emotion, and responding to God’s voice. Jack speaks to the importance of discipline and the concept of genius. We talk about the symbolism of the arch form and the tomb as a window. Then we discuss Gothic cathedrals and the relationship between the two plumb lines. Jack teaches us how to make a plumb line, and he gives us insight on the plumb line as circular and linear motion. We talk about the correspondence between the inside and the outside of a person, true integrity, and authentic witness. Sam closes us by reading a little bit from The Way of the Pilgrim. After some more banjo–one can never get enough–we say our goodnights, leaving you to ponder what’s outside the darkened sill.