[Mark McDonnell]

My most recent poem originally began with the lines "Let's not talk about the ancient gods / and all that crap". The line didn't last long. I've been doing some soul-searching. I realised that a lot of my dislike of biblical (and to a lesser extent classical) references in poetry is my own issue and is probably just down to chippiness. Not all, but some of it. I was never taught that stuff, certainly not the Classics and, despite a Catholic education, not much reading of the actual Bible seemed to happen either. Lots of hymns and incense. Then I became an insufferable atheist in my teens and dismissed the whole thing. I still am, though I try to be less insufferable.

But I've been reading some big old books recently, probably as a panic-response to turning 50, and I reckon if I can do Proust, Ulysses and The Odyssey I can tackle the big one. And I also realised, in following the discussion on Glenn's recent Abraham and Isaac poem, that I barely know anything beyond the Illustrated Comics/Cecil B DeMille version of even the most famous stories. So, I'm going to read The Bible. For profit and pleasure, hopefully both, possibly neither. King James version, Everyman Edition. The whole thing, Old and New. (I've read most of Genesis before and Matthew's Gospel all the way through a couple of times). The first bit of the Good Book is definitely good. Of course, I knew this bit...

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.


I mean, that's incredible.

I literally just started ten minutes ago.

So, my questions/general talking points are: who here has actually read this thing cover to cover? (be honest) If so, why? If not, why not and will you ever? What are the best bits? Where will I struggle and wish the Lord to smite me down?

And anything else really.