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Since 1900, the Christian Century has published reporting, commentary, poetry, and essays on the role of faith in a pluralistic society.

© 2023 The Christian Century.

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Poetry

Whatever the birds were

by Christian Wiman in the February 15, 2017 issue
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Like a spirited theological colloquy between two people
whose faith has failed,

two trees, alders, whipped drastic in the gust
that subsided so suddenly it seemed each had inhaled, and stilled.

Whatever the birds were that flitted back and forth between them then,
they made a silver seeming noise.

This poem appears in the February 15, 2017 issue.

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Since 1900, the Christian Century has published reporting, commentary, poetry, and essays on the role of faith in a pluralistic society.

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