POETRY | ROSES FOR THE MOST HIGH BY RONNIE SMITH

ROSES FOR THE MOST HIGH

"I spent a career flying in the U.S. Air Force, some of which supported U.S. Government scientific stations in the north and south Polar Regions. I found that flying and serving in theaters of peace, war, and polar deserts were not without mystical journey, which is woven into a number of these original poems. This book is a small sample, through the medium of my poetry, to celebrate three mystical vehicles: the saints who kept the Christian mystical tradition alive; the mystical role of Mary, the Blessed Mother; and the mystical path provided by The Church, which imbues Christians by its mystical elements of prayer, sacrament, and sacred rite to infuse our daily lives."

~ Ronnie Smith

★★★★☆

Roses for the Most High is a Christian / Catholic themed poetry collection from retired Air Force Colonel Ronnie Smith. Smith also includes a few of his own paintings, inspired by the poems. 

The poetry itself is divided into three sections: 1) "Mystic Saints" 2) "Mystic Blessed Mother" 3) "Mystic Path". All the poems, prefaced with either a biblical passage or a quote from a saint, circle around the experiences of Christian mystics, the moments of humans faces the Divine. Many of the poems in the first section are titled simply with the name of the saint being discussed. 

"When first you came of age, you understood

your second life would thrive with womanhood

to nurture nations, farm the lands of time,

and serve as one of Mary's confidantes

to till beneath your veil of love sublime." 

~ from "The Lady In Blue" (Venerable Maria Jesus of Agreda)

Smith's poetry style appears to favor the quintain style in AABA pattern. Smith's rhythm has the lyrical mimicry of odes of classic poets. While theology obvious plays quite a strong role in this collection, there is also heavy emphasis on the role of nature. Having completed 1000+ flights over Antarctica, it's no surprise that some poems clearly have an "icy" inspiration, such as "Saint Francis of Assissi" or "Saint Bridget of Sweden", "Ritual", even the straightforward "Polar Exhile". There are also a few nods to desert environment.

above: from "Saint Francis of Assissi" poem

"As cactus blooms from sun's hot rage,

Our desert father fathered me...

Through truth and water I skip free

to splash the pond beyond my cage,

the whom that I expect to be

since desert father fathered me."

~ from "Saint John The Baptist" poem

Sub-zero, my inferno

of turquoise skies 

and molten, a volcano

to torch my eyes 

Crevasses are stigmata

in ice-seared palms 

of God's desiderata

for glacial alms 

~ "Polar Exhile"

"Roses on Devotion Road" beautifully captures the sense of wonder and epiphany that tends to occur somewhere on the road of spiritual enlightenment.

The overall tone of the third portion, "Mystic Path" has a much more heavy and somber tone than the previous two sections, though there remains an element of softness to poems such as "The Flow" and "Elder of the Forest".

If you are at all squeamish, take note that some of Smith's work features certain lines that may pull a wince out of you, such as "Our pulverized blood burns so that virgins carry God's oblation" from "Saint John of the Cross".

A few of my personal favorites from this collection:

* "Saint Therese of Lisieux" (might be biased with this one, she's one of my favorite saints to read about in general)

"As the sun fills the seas with forever, I knew 

And as you of sweet youth made a whisper your way

and have strewn a true heart with small deeds of the day,

there's a garland of freedom for she who abides

by the death of this self --- that this soul defies too 

It's a flying trapeze, a flight I never knew.

* "Sonnet for Saint Joan of Arc", particularly the line "posthaste we take the course of grace through strife."

* "Saint Faustina"

* "My Magnificat"

* "Of The Ten Virtues"

* "She Chose To Love Within The Light" --- this one spoke to me most in regards to my own life experiences.

"Inside her house of peace there is a door
to love and only love, forevermore." 

~ from "The Grace"

Mindful for you

orphaned for you

torrid for you

humble for you

empty for you

rosy for you 

Living for you. 

~ from "Consecration Day" 

Recommended for anyone immersed in their own journey to personal spiritual understanding, having a desire to seek communion in all its forms. 

FTC DISCLAIMER: BookCrash.com and Plenus Gratia Publications kindly provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions above are entirely my own.