Tell it Slant

What I keep meaning to remember.

Give me only indirect truths, the kind only hinted at; the back parts of God, sashaying away, a hunger no feast can satisfy. 

This vessel will hold only the sediments of these, and just barely, porous as it is––and still it’s prone to hairline fractures on impact. They are the kind that won’t kill you, for which the prescription is always “Give it time,” but you will always feel.

Feel what? Only this teasing reminder back to the joke about being the sort of person others call solid, as if there were anything else more ripe for breaking, as if faith, on most days, is anything more than the dogged continuance of this half-blind driver who is forever losing their keys.

***

Reading Christian Wiman this morning, who underscores an observation made by the brilliant Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Herschel, remarking how “faith is primarily faithfulness to a time when we had faith . . . a tenuous, tenacious discipline of memory and hope.”

Author: Stacey C. Johnson

I keep watch and listen, mostly in dark places.

6 thoughts on “Tell it Slant”

  1. Emily Pratt Slatin 🏳️‍🌈 – Middletown Springs, Vermont, USA – Former Career Fire and EMS Lieutenant-Specialist, Writer, and Master Photographer.
    Thomas Slatin says:

    The idea that our vessels can only hold the sediments of these indirect truths, and even then just barely, resonates with me. It’s as if we are always on the cusp of something greater, but can never quite grasp it fully. The mention of hairline fractures on impact also strikes a chord, as it reminds me of the fragility of our human experience.

    Reply
  2. chrisbkm – Chris Morrison was born on the north shore of Lake Superior and currently lives by the Atlantic on the north shore of Nova Scotia, Canada.
    chrisbkm says:

    I love the opening line of this Stacey. Especially the first words “give me only indirect truths…” And in so doing, we can each, as individual occurrences, be part of the ever-changing, evolving truth(s) of being. Or something like that… not sure I’ve said what the words made me feel. Truth – that is one tricky word.

    Reply
  3. Alz Gusta Presents – Alex Gust was born in Spokane, Washington in 1974, the only child of Auri Gust and Bill Spencer. He was raised by his mother, Auri, from the time he was one years old. He has written several screenplays, Blaze, The Unworthy Ones, The Case of the Misophonia Revenge, and The Break Fast Track with his wife, Angela Gust. They went on to make these into short films on YouTube under their production company, Alz Gusta Presents. His areas of focus are suspense, dark comedies, poetry, and women’s empowerment. While growing up, he witnessed the struggles of his mother in a misogynistic work culture and how she has overcome these obstacles. Because of this, he focuses on stories that deal with womens burdens and he aims to shine light on their triumphs in the face of such adversities. Additionally, growing up with dyslexia made learning to read difficult. However, he sees this as a gift that provided him with a different way to see the world. This is reflected in his writings. He lives with his wife in a small town near Olympia, Washington. Alex continues to craft screenplays, as well as poetry. He also spends time creating oil paintings, acting at local community theaters, and making short films with his seven grandchildren.
    Alz Gusta Presents says:

    Magnificently written! I put a apple tag on my keys, but I forgot where I was going.

    Reply

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