IN THIS EPISODE
Ritual, Mystery and Beauty in God's Creation
Poet & essayist Dick Hague explores amazement, wonder and solitude in nature as a form of prayer.
To read the texts discussed in this episode, visit links at the left.
WRITING PROMPT Whether you find yourself in the city or in the wilderness, find an aspect of nature that you can study and focus singular attention on for a few moments: a flower, an insect, a landscape, a cloud shape. Empty yourself of all other thoughts and relax into a moment of praising this piece of God’s creation before you. Begin by describing your subject, but then meditate about what this wonder means, what connection it makes to a memory, a moment, or a theme in your life.
Attend and adore the perfect beauty of what is before you, ending with this simple prayer: “wow.”
About the Guest
Richard Hague is a native of Steubenville, Ohio, author of 19 collections of poetry and prose, including his most recent. Studied Days: Poems Early & Late in Appalachia. He has been awarded the Weatherford Prize in Poetry, Poetry Book of the Year from the Appaalchian Writers Association, and his Milltown Natural: Stories & Essays From A Life was a National Book Award nominee. He has been a Finalist for The Bechtel Prize from Teachers & Writers, the AWP Award in Creative Nonfiction, The Pablo Neruda Prize from Nimrod, The Iowa Prize in Nonfiction, and a Bob Costas Writing Award. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at Thomas More University.