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When Poets Pray: Anja Lehmann Explores the Sacred in the Secular

Colin Richardson

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Published in When Poets Pray Anja Lehmann

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In her latest collection of poems, When Poets Pray, Anja Lehmann invites us on a journey into the sacred heart of the ordinary. With a keen eye for detail and a deep sense of wonder, she reveals the divine within the everyday, finding moments of grace in the midst of chaos.

When Poets Pray

by Anja Lehmann

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	886 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	134 pages

Lehmann's poems are deeply personal and moving, exploring themes of spirituality, nature, and the human experience. Through her unique lens, she illuminates the interconnectedness of all things, reminding us that we are all part of a larger, more mysterious whole.

One of the most striking things about Lehmann's poetry is her ability to find beauty in the most unexpected places. In the poem "Sidewalk Madonna," she discovers a statue of Mary hidden among the graffiti and grime of a city street. To most passersby, the statue would be nothing more than a piece of broken concrete, but Lehmann sees beyond the surface, recognizing the divine presence that resides within.

In another poem, "The Crows," Lehmann finds solace in the presence of these often-maligned birds. She writes, "They are the scavengers, / the harbingers of death, / but they are also the ones / who know the secrets of the night." Lehmann's ability to see the sacred in the overlooked and undervalued is a gift that she shares with her readers.

When Poets Pray is not a book of easy answers. Lehmann does not offer pat solutions to life's big questions. Instead, she invites us to wrestle with the mysteries of existence, to embrace the beauty and the pain, and to find our own unique path to the divine.

In the poem "Pilgrimage," Lehmann writes, "The journey is the destination, / and the destination is always changing." This line sums up the essence of When Poets Pray. Lehmann's poems are not a static collection of truths, but a dynamic exploration of the sacred in the secular. They invite us to open our hearts and minds to the possibility of finding the divine in every moment of our lives.

When Poets Pray is a must-read for anyone who seeks to deepen their understanding of spirituality and the human experience. Lehmann's poems are a gift, a reminder that the sacred is always present, if we only take the time to see it.

Here is a sample poem from When Poets Pray:

"Sidewalk Madonna"

I found her in a crack in the sidewalk,

a small, broken statue of Mary,

her face worn and chipped,

her body covered in grime.

To most passersby, she would be nothing more

than a piece of broken concrete,

but I saw beyond the surface,

and recognized the divine presence

that resided within.

I picked her up and held her in my hands,