The way we see is not as unproblematic as it seems. The Christian faith is quite clear about that. We can see with motives of greed, lust, arrogance, in ways which are distorted. We can look at things which do us no good. We can focus on the wrong thing, like the trivial, be visually deceived and much more. The depth of this problem is conveyed by Christ’s words, “If your eye offends you, pluck it out…” Change what you see before it issues in something worse.. This sonnet tackles this issue. The painting is on the hill further up the Stour Valley and partly echoes the First Psalm. “His delight is in God’s law and on God’s law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” Not sure whether the water is, but this is sure a healthy tree.

SEEING CLEARLY

To see with holy sight each gift of God
can happen only when my ego’s gone.
A shallow self is grafted to my eye;
I see the world through mirrors which reflect
Back vanity, out angled stereotypes,
A hall of mirrors, pride distorting all.
The shaving image holds me in its grasp.
No smashing free, but to be seen through God,
Creature of millions, yet with numbered hairs,
No outward view, but loved with visage marred.
So, darkened, face each detail of the world
crafted by God, not other than it is,
and gasp in awe creation is so good,
so blind my normal use of human sight.