Do any of you know anything about the late Arthur Henry King? I saw a documentary about him on BYU-TV probably 1/2 year or more ago. From what I saw, he seemed to be a brilliant man, a poet, a deeply spiritual man, and a mentor to hundreds (adults and students alike) at BYU. One of my favorite professors at BYU was shown commenting about this man. Anyway, I would love to get ahold of his writings, but they seem to be out of print. I found this one poem published in the Ensign over 31 years ago at the church's website.
Hebrews 11: Strangers and Pilgrims
By Arthur H. King
Arthur H. King, Hebrews 11: Strangers and Pilgrims, Ensign, Jan. 1976, 13 Had we a home elsewhere and chose one here? From home the stranger makes his crying start: a touch, a taste, a scent, a voice of dear concern, a look from eyes to beating heart, a window on the world. The pilgrim sees a tree beside a gate; then, many trees.
We take an avenue to find our own; look for a cityIs our town the place? We love our country, seek another one; we gain a wife or husband by thy grace, a home and children, ours. Awaytheyve gone to find their own. Still seeking, we press on.
The valley of the shadow: Lord, thy hand! We spirit-pilgrims longin paradise, yet still on loving earthfor home, a land of promise and fulfillment. May we rise, our flesh and bone exalted from the dust, in that first resurrection of the just!
No longer strange, but pilgrims of that age, our reunited families can sing, not solitary on our pilgrimage, but companied at work for thee our King a thousand years; till, through refining flame, one home, all crystal, radiates thy name.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
I haven't gone looking for my papers, but I do have some essays saved on the computer. Here's something I wrote...
"Arthur Henry King states that writing is either moral or amoral. The distinctive qualities of sacredness or comedy are manifest at the complete level of writing. This depth defines Kings total language in which language is not simply a means of communication, but an art full of meaning on every level. In works of this caliber, all levels of language appealing to the intellect, emotion, senses, and structures of the mind deeply ingrain themselves through the art of total language in human phenomenology, or awareness. Whole language involves the reader in its process."
From what I have learned about this man, I feel almost cheated of the opportunity to have learned from him while at BYU, as I was there and had I known about him then over 20 years ago, I could have at least tried signing up for a class. Sure, there will come the day on the other side of the viel where I can sit down with him and other masters and maybe soak in some of their intelligence, but assuming we merit the Celestial Kingdom, will there be a need and place for this thing we call poetry, where we mortals try and describe that which as mortals we struggle to even comprehend?
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."