Anyone who knows about the life of Saint Therese can summarize her work in three words: the little way. She dedicated her life trying to be Christ-like in the day-to-day moments, doing small things with great love. When we bring love into the mundane, we bring beauty to it.
Lately I’ve pondered the littleness of poetry. There is much beauty that can be found in the grandeur of structured stanzas painted with colorful vocabulary and imagery. But there is also beauty that can be found in the more mundane poetry, like one simple line of a song that comforts the heart.
Or the way one little word rolls of the tongue (I’ve always loved the word “whimsical.” It just sounds lovely to me!)
I love this particular explanation of poetry, which really gets to the heart of it:
“Much more than mere words on a page expressing lofty feelings or emotions, poetry is the act of giving voice to the otherwise incommunicable facets of life. The most concrete example of this is when spouses say to one another, “I love you.” That statement is essentially poetic because it captures the very nature of one person’s relationship to the other. Such a relationship simply cannot be captured in precise, scientific, clinical language because its nature transcends material experience and is in fact grounded in the One from whom we receive our being and our ability to love in the first place (1 John 4:16). A moment’s meditation will suffice to realize that communicating the incommunicable is far more common than we think” (Catholics Need Poetry, Word on Fire)
Saint Therese wrote several structured poems throughout her time on Earth, but it is in reading her letters to loved ones that I find beauty shining through the littleness of poetry. That is why I’m starting a new series called Letters from Therese. Once a month I will be featuring a letter written by Saint Therese to her sister, Celine. Each issue will include the entire letter along with a reflection highlighting one or two lines that particularly struck me both spiritually and creatively.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed preparing it. Let’s explore the beauty of poetry through Therese’s Little Way!
It’s taken me longer than I anticipated to send out this newsletter because of some recent life developments… my husband and I found out that we’re pregnant with baby #3!! It’s been such a joy, but of course that also leaves me in the trenches of the first trimester. Life is moving more slowly as I rest and sluggishly move through each day, but I know it’s temporary! I think it’s the perfect time to reflect on the simplistic beauty of Saint Therese’s words. I’m excited to do this together!
Through Christ,
Stephanie Petters
Looking forward to this! Never can have enough beauty and poetry. :) And congrats...praying for you!!
This sounds lovely! I can’t wait to read the series. St. Therese is my confirmation Saint and has always held a special place in my heart because of her simplicity and love. 🥰