The mystery of language: poems from Babel

Where?
Genesis 11:1-9

Why did they think
that building a skyscraper
could earn them a reputation,
make them famous,
if they were the only
inhabitants of the earth?
Where were the other people
who would applaud?
What other nations would tremble
at the mention of their name?
Is there something
going on here
we know nothing
about?


What Comes First?
Genesis 11:1-9

Is it language
that divides people,
that causes separation and enmity?
Does language determine culture,
define worldview,
plot the course of history?
What comes first?
This is more complicated
than chickens and eggs.


From Babel to Music
Genesis 11:1-9

For one who loves languages—
English first, then Spanish,
Portuguese, Aymara, Greek, and Hebrew—
the fate of Babel
hardly seems like punishment.
Maybe—just maybe—
this was part of the original plan.
More than a curb on power and pride,
maybe it was a way
to scatter abroad the beauty
of diversity. Make the work
of building unity more musical.
Worth the effort.


Two Ways
Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-12

The Old Testament God
used language to divide and scatter.
The New Testament God
(ironically One and the Same)
used tongues of fire
to birth a new people
called to unity,
commissioned to gather in the world
with the one language of love.