The Chance of Home: Poems by Mark S. Burrows
The Chance of Home presents a contemplative poetry collection from Mark S. Burrows, internationally recognized scholar of mysticism and theology. This paperback edition from Paraclete Press offers readers meditative verses that explore the meaning of home as a spiritual state rather than a physical location.
About This Poetry Collection
The collection opens with the evocative lines: "Somewhere there must be where no one wonders whether you belong..." These poems examine how home shapes human existence and our connection to the natural world. Burrows draws on his extensive background in mysticism and spirituality to craft verses that address themes of belonging, resilience, and transcendence.
The poems feature observations drawn from everyday moments: a street musician performing in a Lisbon subway, birdsong breaking through darkness, and an ancient temple bell resonating through silence. Through patient attention to ordinary details, Burrows uncovers traces of beauty and meaning in familiar surroundings.
Themes and Content
This collection addresses the inner light that sustains us through difficult seasons and the courage required to embrace life despite mortality. The poems reflect on wholeness amid fragmentation, offering readers glimpses of unity that can hold us together. Nature's resilience appears throughout, paralleling human capacity to thrive despite modern distractions and pressures.
The work invites contemplation at the edges of silence, suggesting that human beings exist not solely for rational thought but "for what song can bring of solace and delight." These meditative pieces suit readers seeking spiritual reflection through literary art.
About Mark S. Burrows
Mark S. Burrows brings decades of academic expertise to his poetry, having taught in graduate theological schools across the United States and Germany for over twenty years. His scholarship focuses on theology, spirituality, mysticism, and poetics. As a translator, he has rendered German poetry and prose into English, including celebrated works such as Rilke's Prayers of a Young Poet and Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart.
Product Details
Published by Paraclete Press in February 2018, this paperback edition belongs to the Paraclete Poetry series. The collection suits readers interested in Christian spirituality, contemplative literature, and contemporary American poetry that bridges religious thought and literary craftsmanship.
