Dear Broken Binnacle crew,
Happy feast day of St. Augustine of Canterbury!
Instead posting my own work this Saturday, I have the honor of sharing a poem with you from Ben Marsh, who is a fellow Christendom alumnus. It was about a year ago that I first learned that Ben wrote poetry as a hobby (or perhaps as a necessity), and now, fortunately, as of last weekend, he has agreed to share a few of his poems. If you enjoy Ben’s work, then please be sure to like and share his poetry!
On another note, I was also recommended this Catholic reading seminar recently and thought I’d share it here for any of you who might be interested:
St. Augustine of Canterbury, pray for us!
The Democracy of the Dead (For M)
“The best limiting principle for a polis is the largest expansion of the population...that can well be taken in at one view.” ~ Aristotle
The Good Hope Cemetery stands atop
The highest hillock east of town, before
The college, hospital, and traffic stop—
New things our parents never plotted for.
From there, one sees all Old Town, looking west,
The Blue Ridge sweeping after blocks of brick.
From there, the unkempt graveyard translates best
The values of this body politic.
Why did they save the best views for the dead?
At Church, I saw your straightened coffin shroud,
Imagined how I’ll watch the sunset spread
Out over Signal Knob and weep aloud.
I, of the quick minority, and you,
A citizen of those erased from view.
~ March 10, 2022