Finding God in Poetry: C21 Center Hosts Former BC Professor

On October 13, Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century (C21) Center welcomed back Paul Mariani to give a talk on his experience of writing poetry as a Catholic. Mariani was a professor at Boston College for 16 years and has written twenty books, including his latest two: Ordinary Time and All That Will Be New, both of which he composed during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The event was one of a series celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the C21 Center this year.

Mariani spoke of his past with BC, expressing his joy to be back on campus again. He told his story of how he felt compelled to teach at BC during a Jesuit retreat and reached out shortly afterwards. He taught at BC from 2000 until his retirement sixteen years later. 

At the event, Mariani told the audience many anecdotes of his career and walked through a few of his poems, giving an insight into how he works and what he hopes to accomplish in his art. He mentioned that he prays before every poem he writes. When asked what he prays for, Mariani responded that he prays for a “clear head,” that what he writes will “mean something,” and that he will not just “talk to [himself].” He said that he hopes to honor God through his poems.

Mariani said that he also uses his faith as inspiration for his art. “One of the models I use is the Parables of Jesus,” he said, which also utilize the gift of language to craft meaningful lessons and messages.

After introducing his approach to his works, he read a number of his more recent poems which he created with inspiration from famous paintings. The first, which is also the prologue to his new collection, is titled “Northeaster at Prout’s Neck” which references the painting Northeaster by Winslow Homer. In the poem, he manages to capture the power of the painting while also tying in historical references to the Reconstruction after the Civil War.

In another poem titled “Poor Fauvette” after the painting of the same name by Jules Bastien-Lepage, he speaks to the plight of the girl seen in the painting and compares it to the look in the eyes of the poor we see in our own lives and at our own parishes.

In “The Wheel,” he takes a detour and gives a personal story about an experience he had while driving as a teenager, which strengthened his belief in guardian angels.

The final two poems he read referenced two paintings by Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew and Supper at Emmaus. “Paintings are one thing that really moves me,” he said, and he spoke of the grace and renewal that he hopes to demonstrate in his works.

During the question and answer segment of the talk, Mariani was asked about social justice in creation and art. He said, “I really tried to get it all in there … The social justice issue has become more prevalent … You try to do what you can, what little that you can.”

When asked how we can use art to grow closer to God, he compared it to walking into a magnificent church, saying, “You look at the beauty and it’s right in front of you … You get that beauty and then you bring it back out to the street.”

When asked how artists should grow more confident in their art, he said to “Believe in yourself,” and that “Every word in a good poem should count.”