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Even in Leax's earlier, more conventional, poetry he has dug into unusual soil. The title poem of his book The Task of Adam (Zondervan,1985), for example, is about a dictionary left open to the page where the words Troposphere, Trotsky, Troubadour, Trousers, Trousseau, Trout, Trowel, and Truckle appear. Is it any wonder that this same poet has been prompted by tabloid headlines?
So how can these poems be about something that matters? John Leax has directed us, using the traditionally high–brow art of poetry, to examine the humanity behind the low–brow headlines of the tabloids. Reading the Tabloid News, we experience the shock of recognition: we see ourselves, our common lot, laid bare.
D.S. Martin is a Canadian poet and music critic. His poems have appeared in journals such as Canadian Literature, Christianity & Literature, The Cresset, and Windhover. (ds_martin@yahoo.com)
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Books & Culture Corner and Books & Culture's Book of the Week, from Christianity Today sister publication Books & Culture: A Christian Review (want a free trial issue?), appears regularly on Tuesdays at Christianity Today. Earlier editions include:
With God on Our Side | David McCullough's account of the pivotal year 1776 has resonance for Americans in 2005. (July 19, 2005)
The Rich Are Different—and Not So Different—from Us | Think you're burned out on memoirs? Read this book. (June 28, 2005)
A Grief Observed | Exploring the valley of the shadow in two literary lives. (June 13, 2005)
The Mind and Soul of Combat | Perhaps war really is hell. (June 07, 2005)
The Universal Language | If Latin died in our mouths, we'd just stop talking. (May 24, 2005)
At Home in the Dark | The first new book of poems in almost twenty years from Rod Jellema. (May 17, 2005)
"Taken Up in Glory" | The Ascension has been forgotten in many Protestant churches, jettisoning an essential part of the Christian story. (May 10, 2005)
Making Believe | Bedtime stories for grown-ups. (May 03, 2005)
Looking for God on the Holy Mountain | A journey to Mount Athos. (Apr. 25, 2005)
The Words of the Word | Two sharply contrasting perspectives on Bible translation. (April 19, 2005)
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