Friday, September 6, 2013

The Spiritual Dimension In Lds Poems

By Kate McMahon


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints is responsible for the project that gave rise to Lds Poems. This poetry focuses on spirituality with a Christian perspective. The church was founded in the 19th century and has stuck with the tradition of using poetry in most of its liturgical and teaching literature. To the faithful, poetry is a form of art that enables them to experience the power of the Holy Spirit.

The other name given to this writing is Mormon poetry. An example of early publication is cited in the Elders Journal where the work of James Marsh was published. The journal was published in 1838 and was edited by Don and Joseph Carlos Smith. The poems were exceptionally beautiful and were considered outstanding in their rendition and themes.

Poetry has formed a major part of Mormon General Conference talks. This is a part of the tradition of the church. It is used by church apostles to expound on current affairs and offer a spiritual dimension. It is common to find the poems being turned into hymns because of the excellent manner in which they capture the teachings of this denomination. One such poem is I Believe In Christ that was written by McConkie Bruce.

Early works have inspired latter generation writers to engage in new writing. An example is Elder Boyd Packer who was inspired by the work of Bruce McKonkie to write a poem entitled Washed Clean. It was recited during the conference in April. He says that his inspiration came from the Jesus who is found in the poem I Believe in Christ.

Most general conferences are based on poetry from earlier writers. Leaders in the church are particularly passionate about poetry. It is worth noting that the current leader and president is totally in love with this art. Citations can always be found in his works and talks. He goes by the name Thomas Monson. The religious connection in this work has not made it any less creative.

Mormon literature database contains an excellent collection of both fiction and poetry from this group of writers. Literary critics have singled out several authors because of their outstanding writing. The collection also includes hymns considering that a good number of them began as poetry. Some of the work adheres to the traditional definition while others open new grounds in the genre.

It is possible and easy to classify this writing into two categories depending on the era in which the writers lived. Pioneer writers lasted up to the 1950s from around 1830. They passed on the button to contemporary poets who have continued with the work up to now. These two groups are differentiated by their choice of supporting themes and their style. They talk to different audiences that can be found in different parts of the world.

Among the notable authors of lds poems include Eliza Snow who wrote O My Father and W Phelps who wrote The Spirit of God. Contemporary poets include Whitney Orson who has written The Epic. Other themes covered by recent day writers are violence. Every poem is laced with a spiritual dimension.




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