Trivia Revealed: The Famous Playwright

The answer is, of course, Karol Wojtyla (aka Pope John Paul II). [Congrats james of faceplant – first time to my blog, and a first time winner!]

My friend Rich got to perform in his play, The Jeweler’s Shop.

There is, of course, an overwhelming amount of things to admire in this man. I was forever changed as I watched news reports of him going to the cell of the assassin that shot him, and not only forgiving the man, but ministering to him. I know of very few world leaders that get the concept of justice AND mercy.

But one thing that has always gotten to me about him is how he thinks like a playwright – he walks in the shoes of others, the way a writer needs to, and seems to understand the “other” when in conversation, or creating policy, or interpreting God’s Word. (I know I am using present tense – can’t seem to make it past.)

I have discovered this in his poetry as well (written before his Papal days). I’ve been using these poems for meditation purposes (without a prescription), and am struck by the fact that, well, he is getting me to not only read poetry, but to think about them. (What is the world coming to?)

Here is a piece from Collected Poems, translated by Jerzy Peterkiewicz, from the series of poems called “Mother.” Notice how he gets inside John’s head here:

“John beseeches her”

Don’t lower the wave of my heart,
it swells to your eyes, Mother;
don’t alter love, but bring the wave to me
in your translucent hands.

He asked for this.

I am John the fisherman. There isn’t much
in me to love.

I feel I am still on that lake shore,
gravel crunching under my feet—
and, suddenly—Him.

You will embrace His mystery in me no more,
yet quietly I spread round your thoughts like myrtle.
And calling you Mother—His wish—
I beseech you: may this word
never grow less for you.

True, it’s not easy to measure the meaning
of the words He breathed into us both
so that all earlier love in those words
should be concealed.

Just my thoughts,

Sean