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On Earth As It Is
I don’t know if someone else was going to write about this here at htmlgiant, and they still oughta if they wanna, but in the meantime let me say: everyone tune your browser to On Earth As It Is, a new web journal that uses prayer as a story telling form. As the website puts it, “On Earth As It Is is a cycle of prayer narratives, or dramatic monologues addressed to God, from writers of different faiths.” It’s run by our beloved Matthew Simmons and Bryan Furuness, and so far they’ve run two pieces (one per week). Last week we were given an Augustinian-but-more-lovely apologia from Melanie Rae Thon:
What more evidence do you need?
Snow melts into dark earth and here in damp woods white trillium blossoms.
and yesterday, from Erin McGraw, “A Statement from the Defense.” McGraw’s piece seems to capture prayer-as-storytelling exceptionally well. All the details are given in a backhanded way — naturally, since the speaker is addressing God; the omniscient reader requires no story, but we in our limited cogito get to play at a voyeuristic unraveling. Here are some things I got from McGraw’s prayer:
I don’t know if the speaker is a boy or a girl, unless the form affects authorial function
So when she meets, with longing, a woman at a bar, I don’t know if the speaker is gay or straight
And since she doesn’t issue a defense for her sexuality, I don’t know how she thinks of God
Like if She’s a Unitarian or Episcopal God or if it’s a Male God like my Methodist God-the-Father
But I think it’s a pretty uptight God because the speaker drinks only Sprite and thinks God would like that
But maybe the speaker and his/her new girlfriend are alcoholics
The speaker has some thoughts on determinism that are posited in a theologically simple but not naïve way
The new girlfriend is actually married but her husband fell from a roof and doesn’t remember her anymore
Damn fucking life is hard — but this is a great story
I’m looking forward to more On Earth As It Is. In the meantime, some videos on prayer;
I like the song by Shellac, but this video is just creepy.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1-vsnFBQTo
I really liked this song while I was in high school. Bad quality video, but that’s okay — it’s an awesome song:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLPg7r2FwS4
Stanley Hauerwas’s Burke Lecture:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPPJCkfxdTs
Tags: bryan furuness, Matthew Simmons, on earth as it is
Jesus, this is fantastic.
[Exclamation, not prayer]
Jesus, this is fantastic.
[Exclamation, not prayer]
Super fantastic! Erin McGraw is the absolute greatest. Her prayer story is freaking awesome. But I am biased…my book would not be my book without her — she was the first person to read it, and the reason it didn’t end up being 525 pages. So, so, so happy to see her name here at htmlgiant. Looking forward to what comes next at OEAII, Matthew & Brian. Good show.
Super fantastic! Erin McGraw is the absolute greatest. Her prayer story is freaking awesome. But I am biased…my book would not be my book without her — she was the first person to read it, and the reason it didn’t end up being 525 pages. So, so, so happy to see her name here at htmlgiant. Looking forward to what comes next at OEAII, Matthew & Brian. Good show.
Hey Christopher,
Happy to hear about the Erin McGraw connection. She was, I believe, one of Bryan’s advisers at Warren Wilson when we were there together. Quite a talent.
(Read the first 80 or so pages of Marvin K. Mooney on the train to Portland Monday. Love it.)
Hey Christopher,
Happy to hear about the Erin McGraw connection. She was, I believe, one of Bryan’s advisers at Warren Wilson when we were there together. Quite a talent.
(Read the first 80 or so pages of Marvin K. Mooney on the train to Portland Monday. Love it.)
A scheduling note: the Erin McGraw piece went up late because we were having some trouble with the site. We are going to give her an extra week, and update again on March 29.
A scheduling note: the Erin McGraw piece went up late because we were having some trouble with the site. We are going to give her an extra week, and update again on March 29.
Yep, Erin was one of my advisors at WW. So I can say that Christopher is objectively correct: she is the absolute greatest.
Yep, Erin was one of my advisors at WW. So I can say that Christopher is objectively correct: she is the absolute greatest.
That McGraw piece really put me on my ass. I’m really excited about what this will become. Awesome concept/work, Matthew and Bryan.
That McGraw piece really put me on my ass. I’m really excited about what this will become. Awesome concept/work, Matthew and Bryan.
“prayer narratives” paired with that picture of yours makes this seem scary. God scares me. am I going to die like that guy in the chair?
“prayer narratives” paired with that picture of yours makes this seem scary. God scares me. am I going to die like that guy in the chair?
htad: really, god scares you? are you coming from old-testament camp? you probably aren’t going to die like the guy in the chair, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. its okay though, really.
I’m gonna go read the mcgraw piece now.
htad: really, god scares you? are you coming from old-testament camp? you probably aren’t going to die like the guy in the chair, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. its okay though, really.
I’m gonna go read the mcgraw piece now.
What they don’t tell you about death is that everyone dies like the guy in the chair. Everyone.
What they don’t tell you about death is that everyone dies like the guy in the chair. Everyone.
disagree, trey. depends on how desperately you cling.
re: on earth as it is — simply beautiful. some of the very best of the very best writing I’ve read in the very best litmags in, I dunno, the past year. amazing what a little faith can do. should I take this as a lesson? I’ve been waiting for a thunderbolt.
disagree, trey. depends on how desperately you cling.
re: on earth as it is — simply beautiful. some of the very best of the very best writing I’ve read in the very best litmags in, I dunno, the past year. amazing what a little faith can do. should I take this as a lesson? I’ve been waiting for a thunderbolt.
oh, I was just being contrary. how is the man in the chair dying, anyway? I thought maybe he was exploding.
oh, I was just being contrary. how is the man in the chair dying, anyway? I thought maybe he was exploding.
he’s just francis bacon, no?
he’s just francis bacon, no?
oh. probably you are right. yes. francis bacon did not explode, I guess.
oh. probably you are right. yes. francis bacon did not explode, I guess.
he didn’t?
he didn’t?