POETRY

The Poetry of Roger White

The Poetry of Roger White:

"NOTES POSTMARKED THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD
A second booklet of Roger White's poetry was published in 1992 by New Leaf Publishing of Richmond British Columbia.
It was the longest poem he had written. While not following strictly the program of pilgrimage nor alluding to every point of historic interest visited by Baha'i pilgrims during the course of their stay in the Holy Land, the poem was structured in nine parts following the nine days of pilgrimage.

What White brings his readers in this poem is what the poet Shelley said the mind in creation must be if it is to be truly successful in the writing of poetry. The mind must be as a fading coal which some invisible influence, like an inconstant wind, awakens to transitory brightness. What he awakens to a wonderful brightness for the reader is his experience of pilgrimage, certainly one of the more introspective and thoughtful pieces written thusfar on this important aspect of the Baha'i life.

In September 1990 his old friend, the person from whom he learned of the Cause, Winnifred Harvey died. As he wrote in the poem Returning[2] in the last four lines, as he"was about to leave hospital:

No one had asked him whether he wished to return
from his murky indolence,
human, hapless and vulnerable,
to this profane, irresistible confusion.

posted by Unknown @ 2/08/2004 11:44:00 am