Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Preacher: Ruminates Behind the Sermon" by Gwendolyn Brooks presents a contemplative and somewhat unconventional view of God, exploring themes of loneliness, divinity, and the humanization of a supreme being. The poem's rhyme scheme, ABBC EFFG GHHG IJJI, contributes to its reflective and meditative tone, guiding the reader through the preacher's introspective journey regarding the nature of God's existence and relationship with humanity.

The poem opens with the provocative assertion, "I think it must be lonely to be God." This line immediately challenges traditional perceptions of God as an omnipotent, omnipresent being beyond the realm of human emotions such as loneliness. The following lines expand on this notion, suggesting that despite the worship and adoration God receives ("The bright hosannas, bright dear-Lords, and bright / Determined reverence of Sunday eyes"), there is a fundamental distance between God and His worshippers that prevents true companionship or equality in relationship.

Brooks uses vivid imagery to depict the isolation that might accompany divine omnipotence ("Picture Jehovah striding through the hall / Of His importance"). The depiction of creatures running out from "servant-corners" to acclaim God underscores the hierarchical gap between God and His creations, emphasizing the adoration without intimacy or genuine camaraderie.

The poem then shifts to a series of rhetorical questions that further humanize God, pondering whether anyone "dares to take His arm," share a casual drink, or challenge His views. These questions highlight the craving for genuine, unguarded interaction free from the constraints of worship or reverence. The mention of buying God "a Coca-Cola or a beer" is particularly striking, placing the divine in a strikingly mundane, human context that contrasts sharply with the poem's earlier depictions of grandeur.

Brooks explores the possibility that God might tire of His own greatness and the constant expectation to maintain a position of unwavering authority and perfection ("Perhaps—who knows?—He tires of looking down"). The imagery of God's "eyes are never lifted. Never straight" suggests a longing for connection, for an equal, for someone who can understand the weight of His solitude.

The poem concludes without offering a resolution, leaving the preacher's ruminations open-ended and reflective of the complexities inherent in conceptualizing the divine. Brooks's use of the rhyme scheme not only structures the poem but also mirrors the cycles of questioning and contemplation that characterize the preacher's exploration of God's emotional landscape.

"The Preacher: Ruminates Behind the Sermon" stands out for its daring approach to theological reflection, inviting readers to consider the divine not just as a figure of worship but as an entity capable of experiencing loneliness and desire for companionship. Brooks's poetic exploration serves as a reminder of the human tendency to project our own emotions and desires onto the divine, seeking to bridge the gap between the human and the holy.

POEM TEXT: https://dhanares.wordpress.com/2021/02/27/a-portrayal-of-god-as-companionless-in-the-preacher-ruminates-behind-the-sermon-poem/

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...