Wendell Berry poem, Practice Resurrection

The line, “Practice Resurrection,” used by more than one preacher yesterday, is happily popular now because of the wonderful recent book by Eugene Peterson, Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life. (I will be helping teach at Sunday school class on this book for the next few weeks, so I may write more about it.)
Peterson, a pastor who cares about words and loves poetry, has cited this Wendell Berry poem in the past. So have Brian Walsh & Sylvia Keesmaat (in Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire.)
The poem is actually called Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front and was published in the early 70’s in The Country of Marriage. It is now available in The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry.
Read the poem here.
Comments anyone?

3 thoughts on “Wendell Berry poem, Practice Resurrection

  1. Thank you, Byron– one of my favorites.I have been thinking of Wendell Berry lately, thinking of him writing with his hand-sharpened pencil by daylight only. (Madeleine is now writing a story, behind me at the kitchen table, with a pencil, singing Tis a Gift to be Simple) The computer screen light sometimes gives me a headache, and think, I could write in a comfy chair, with a pen, hmmm…I have been thinking of Wendell Berry while I wrestle user manuals for the blessed new camera given by a family member, and the manual for the new telephone to replace the one I dropped onto the sidewalk, and the manual for the new cell phones which are Far Too Complex. “But sir, I just need to call up for takeout pizza– I don’t need CNN on my phone, and I don’t want to watch videos on my phone…”) “Be joyful, though you’ve considered the facts.” This line makes me feel properly qualified for another day of life– I can do that, even with a stack of manuals balanced on my head.

  2. ItÕs funny you mention thisÉ All Easter day I had that line (practice resurrection) ÒstuckÓ in my mind. I knew it came from a Berry poem, but I wasnÕt sure which one and I wasnÕt sure if I had the ÒcollectionÓ at home. Sure enough, I got home and there it was. And, not to make anyone jealous or anything, it is in a signed copy of ÒSelected Poems.Ó Mr. Berry held the small paperback in his hand and slowly signed his name. And also wrote to Heidi (my wife), ÒWith kind regards.Ó IÕm not sure why IÕm telling you thisÉ Maybe because it makes me smile, and I think it will have the same effect on you!

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