Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Yes, You Can Write Poems About Archival Files

Yes, You Can Write Poems About Archival Files

Last updated on: November 17, 2017 at 3:02 pm by Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Yes, You Can Write Poems About Archival Files 2017-11-17T15:02:16-05:00 Jennifer Woodruff Tait

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

13109778113_b08cac76b1_z

Probably the most niche of my niche poems about the library and archival vocation! It was written in 1998 about a real person, Max Schall Erdman, whose papers are here (the description there, also written by me, could well be considered the prose version of this poem) and whose grave is shown here.

In the archives: “shot himself Tuesday – died Wednesday”

The insubstantiality of time

Has hidden half the facts, faded the rest

In minds that will not speak, voices long dead

That whisper sideways something of your death.

Within the files where no one ever goes,

Inside the letters left that no one reads,

The silent strange confusion of your friends,

The yellowed paper and the ink that bleeds:

The pieces of an incompleted life,

A banker’s orders and a baseball team,

Half of the letters gone, the clippings torn

And all the pieces missing in between.

At last a telegram to someone else,

The simple frightening news no one had planned;

They took up your unfinished work, went on

And mourned for you and did not understand.

Image: Flickr

Previous Post

November 10, 2017

What is Our Real Work?

Next Post

November 23, 2017 #nowthankweallourgod #thanksgiving

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Audio posts Bible and Work Book Review Books Budgeting Calling Common Good Community Development Conferences Discipleship Economics Entrepreneurship Ethics Faith and Family Faith and the Marketplace Faith and the Workplace faith and work History of Work and Vocation Leadership Local Church Meaning New Blogger News Prayer Relationships Seminaries Theology of Work Uncategorized Video posts Vocation Worship Resources

Select a Month April 2026 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 April 2025 January 2025 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 July 2023 April 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Proverbs often contrast with wisdom?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Foolishness Poverty Priesthood Strength