Poetry

“Raising Little Dwights”

Raising Dwights by Dwight J. Friesen When fear comes,it is rarely alone.A little boy arrivesalready scanning the roomfor danger.A teenager pulls out his résumé,certain he can earn our belongingif given enough work.Another reaches for humor.Another for theology.Another quietly packs a

Dwight J. Friesen July 18, 2026July 18, 2026

“Grandma Loeppky”

Grandma Loeppky by Dwight J. Friesen There are still momentswhen I measure loveby the way your face openedbefore a single word was spoken.As though delightcould arrive ahead of me,already setting another placeat the table.You welcomed methe way morning welcomes windows—not

Dwight J. Friesen July 17, 2026July 17, 2026

A Mary Oliver Kind of Day

Some days seem to know exactly what they are. Friday was one of those days. My partner and I went to see the new Mary Oliver documentary at SIFF near Seattle Center. Before the film, we stopped by KEXP, where

Dwight J. Friesen July 11, 2026July 12, 2026

“The Quilt We Make Together”

The Quilt We Make Together by Dwight J. Friesen No single squareever calls itself the quilt.It arrives offering what only it canits own beautiful history—a worn sleeve,a child’s Sunday dress,a farmer’s shirt softenedby seasons of weather and work.On their ownthey

Dwight J. Friesen July 7, 2026July 7, 2026

“Harmony”

Harmony by Dwight J. Friesen The world keeps asking for a single note.One flag lifted above every other.One story told loud enoughto drown out the rest.One certainty.One tribe.One voice.Yet every spring, the forest declines.The cedar does not become fern.The river

Dwight J. Friesen July 1, 2026June 29, 2026

“Breathwork”

Breathwork by Dwight J. Friesen Before you learned the names of things,before you called anything sacredor ordinary,you were breathing.The first sermonwas not spoken,it entered your lungs.Each inhale:receiving what you did not create.Each exhale:returning what was never yours to keep.The trees

Dwight J. Friesen June 17, 2026June 17, 2026

“The Great Divide”

The Great Divide by Noah Kahan I can’t recall the last time that we talkedAbout anything but looking out for copsWe got cigarette burns in the same side of our hands, we ain’t friendsWe’re just morons, who broke skin in

Dwight J. Friesen April 30, 2026July 11, 2026

“Reunion”

Reunion by Albert Huffstickler This is how it is:one part of you journeys forthwhile the other stays at home to wait and keep things going.And the years passwith you (the waiter) going about your businesswhile you wonder how he is

Dwight J. Friesen August 7, 2025September 4, 2025

“The Cure”

The Cure by Albert Huffstickler We think we get over things.We don’t get over things.Or say, we get over the measlesbut not a broken heart.We need to make that distinction.The things that become part of our experiencenever become less a

Dwight J. Friesen July 3, 2025September 3, 2025

“Mountain of My Mind”

“Mountain of My Mind” by Chris Stapleton There’s a destination, I’ve got a ways to goThere’s a revelation that I might never knowSomewhere, salvation is waiting down the roadSo, I think I’ll find a long white lineCurse the world and

Dwight J. Friesen April 15, 2024April 15, 2024

“You Never Know”

You Never Know by Iron & Wine (aka Sam Beam) You could make gray, call it gold Let it fool your eyes You could make rain and let it have your life Being green grass, any little wind Begs you

Dwight J. Friesen February 28, 2024February 27, 2024

“Without Love”

Without Love by Kitty Tsui I cannot do without love the way I make myself do without food or sleep or sex I cannot do without love sometimes I rummage through my papers scraps of dreams thoughts from long ago

Dwight J. Friesen February 14, 2024September 29, 2023

“Kindness”

Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully

Dwight J. Friesen February 12, 2024February 12, 2024

“Fast Car”

The performance at last night’s Grammy’s that most pulled me in – and I think – stole the show, was Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs “Fast Car” duet. So beautiful. It was sheer joy to watch Chapman play and sing

Dwight J. Friesen February 5, 2024February 9, 2024

“What Was I Made For?”

Last night Billie Eilish performed on Saturday Night Live and I thought it was simply beautiful. What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish & Finneas Baird O’Connell I used to float, now I just fall down I used to

Dwight J. Friesen December 17, 2023January 21, 2024

“…it feels good to be known so well”

True Blue by boygenius You said you wanted to feel alive So we went to the beach You were born in July, ’95 In a deadly heat You say you’re a winter bitch But summer’s in your blood You can’t

Dwight J. Friesen May 27, 2023May 28, 2023

“Love on a Night Like This”

Love on a Night Like This by Josephine Abbot Outside, air is balancing itself. We can hear branches in motion, some twigs breaking, wires like violin strings, trees breathy as bass flutes. The acoustics of friction. The science of equilibrium

Dwight J. Friesen May 12, 2023April 27, 2023

Stations of the Cross

On this Holy Friday I share this thoughtful reflection on the Stations of the Cross by Irish theologian and poet, Pádraig Ó Tuama. He recorded this reflection for the first Holy Week of the COVID era. Pádraig walks us through the

Dwight J. Friesen April 7, 2023November 7, 2022

“River” Leon Bridges

River by Leon Bridges Been traveling these wide roads for so long My heart’s been far from you Ten-thousand miles gone Oh, I wanna come near and give ya Every part of me But there is blood on my hands

Dwight J. Friesen March 24, 2023March 24, 2023

“O Holy Night”

O Holy Night performed by Ben Caplan I have to give a shout out to Zach W. Lambert for his outstanding Twitter thread in which he walks through the story behind “O Holy Night,” highlighting the prophetic invitation of its

Dwight J. Friesen December 21, 2022December 21, 2022

…But I’m Ready Now!

One week left! As a child I found this final week was almost unbearable… anticipation overload! Time off school, gifts to open, gifts to give, fun events in my neighborhood, school, church and extended family. Just a different kind of

Dwight J. Friesen December 18, 2022December 18, 2022

“With or Without You”… again

The other night Bono was the lone guest with Steven Colbert, promoting his new book… a memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. After their conversation Bono inhabited a reinterpreted version of “With or With out You” offering a spoken word

Dwight J. Friesen November 9, 2022December 16, 2022

“How to be Alone”

Over the last couple of days I’ve watched and re-watched this short film/poem by the great Irish poet and theologian, Pádraig Ó Tuama. So beautiful, as is most of what he puts out into the world. The poem is titled

Dwight J. Friesen November 4, 2022November 27, 2022

“For Calling The Spirit Back From Wandering The Earth In Its Human Feet”

For Calling The Spirit Back From Wandering The Earth In Its Human Feet by Joy Harjo Put down that bag of potato chips, that white bread, that bottle of pop. Turn off that cellphone, computer, and remote control. Open the

Dwight J. Friesen October 10, 2022October 10, 2022

“Poem for the Beings Who Arrived”

Poem for the Beings Who Arrived By Marwa Helal if you ask me where i come from i have to converse with broken wings. this is a line. and all love is agreement, each day of living: an agree or

Dwight J. Friesen October 3, 2022October 3, 2022

Remembering… Nevermind

Thirty-one years ago today – September 24, 1991 – Seattle’s Nirvana released their groundbreaking, sophomore LP, Nevermind… can’t believe that was more than three decades ago! Damn that is one great record. To me Nevermind still feels raw and emotional;

Dwight J. Friesen September 24, 2022September 26, 2022

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