Weaving Science, Spirituality and Humanness into Poetry
Poet David Keplinger on "Poetry via the Pleistocene"
“As I have gotten older, the meeting place where God and science become one thing … is where I go now to begin poems.” —David Keplinger, author of Ice
Preview: Episode 96 David Keplinger
“I thought of myself as a poet who was informed by Buddhism,” says David Keplinger. “Now I think of myself as a Buddhist whose practice is informed by poetry.” This thread of spiritual wonderment is but one small part of his new collection, Ice, which has scientific underpinnings, exploring what the receding permafrost and the Ice Age animals that are uncovered have to teach us about our own melting hearts and how our own frozenness might meet awareness. In this episode we speak about the value of an openhearted attitude (in science and poetry), the limitations and blessings of being led by a metaphor, how poetry invites us to both meet the past and be a part of the present, and how someone who doesn’t consider themselves a scientist can incorporate science into their creative lives in a compelling, essential way.
David Keplinger is the director of the MFA Program at American University, recipient of two NEA fellowships, the Colorado Book Award, the TS Eliot Award (selected by Mary Oliver), the Cavafy Prize (selected by Ilya Kaminsky), the Rilke Prize, and the Emily Dickinson Award from the Poetry Society of America. He’s a longtime translator of Büchner Preis winning German poet Jan Wagner. His new poetry book is called Ice, which combines a concern for climate change with a metaphor for inner light.
What We’re Reading and Listening to:
Rosemerry:
How is it I stumbled into this fabulous vocal trio?? Bless the internet gods for leading me to SYA (Seeing Years Align). The first song I found was this cover from Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Helplessly Hoping.” It’s sublime. Their voices, their faces, their harmony. Then I went down the full rabbit hole and found so much of their music I love … your heart and ears will thank you if you check it out!
One of my favorite living poets is Jane Hirshfield, and in this fabulous interview on AGNI, she’s interviewed on “Zen & the Art of Poetry” by poet Ilya Kaminsky and novelist Katherine Towler. I had so many favorite parts—but highlights include how she speaks about there being seasons for our work, how the discipline of living in the monastery influenced her poetics, her friendship with and admiration for Czeslaw Milosz, which it is essential for us to challenge each other, what’s behind praise poetry and so much more. I am glad it’s a long article. I reveled in every word.
In our most recent episode, Cameron Walker mentioned storyteller David Sewell McCann. Friends, it is so worth checking out his podcast Sparkle Stories, a series of stories which create, as they say, a “slower, kinder, more gentle world.” If you have young children, or even if you are searching for something more tender for yourself, it’s a beautiful way to engage with our world in an imaginative, compassionate, thoughtful way.
When Christie sent me this link to an excerpt from the memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful by poet Maggie Smith in The Guardian, I was humbled and opened and alllllll the things by the writing itself and the message. Such a creative way to express our inner world vs. what we actually say. And such a powerful exploration of how we navigate the relationships that hold us back from our creative practice … and how it is we find the courage and energy to move forward.
Christie:
I love this little visual project about the joy of sketching birds. So many beautiful sketches and stories!
We recently we watched the film adaptation of Claire Keegan's gorgeous novella, Foster, last night and it was outstanding. It's called The Quiet Girl. A rare instance of the film living up to the book.
Is
For there is no name, no experience, and no insight so akin to the everlastingness…of this word: is.
The Cloud of Unknowing
Now that I see its gorgeous consolations,
its hard math, its equals sign that conjures
metaphor of anything, I know the long life
of the word, transplanted into other tongues,
its cognates disseminated like eyes, and I love
the rhyme’s surprise. Let there come a calm
agreement among strangers, saying nothing,
riding in a train. This is. Let there come
the apodictic hush of esse. There is an order
that demands I change. Now, nevertheless,
whatever is, will be frozen as a photograph.
It survives from eom to am, freckled like the egg
in each retelling, each iteration, each unique,
a Buddha’s smile, each syllable an iron nail.
I know the troubles of the word: its passive
accusations; mistakes were made; how Is and Was
are the first sparring gods. But it has priestesses
and priests. Beloved, you are one. And I am one.
Let curiosity be prayer. Let being be the rebel
that I frond and crucify. And come to life again.
Lest I be quiet. I rub ashes on my body. I steal fire.
I give you fire. I lower my head.
—David Keplinger, from Ice
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This week, we speak with David Keplinger about what the heck is a prose poem (the thoughtful answer will make you sigh), why strangely specific prompts can be quite helpful, and the overriding metaphor that makes his book feel integrated. If you are not yet a paid subscriber, you can go now to our website, EmergingForm.substack.com, or by clicking the button below. Thank you!
Two Questions:
(share your answers with us here on Substack or in our FB group)
What makes a good writing prompt?
What scene from Shakespeare seems to be having a direct conversation with your creative practice?
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Thank you for this mention! i need to find this Cameron Walker post.