Poems grounded in biblical reasoning

Undone by Kacy West (married name Garvey) is a collection of eight poems that speaks to several topics of political and social relevance, including political corruption, sex and sexuality, and crime and violence. Garvey, who is a Christian poet, speaker, and activist, uses a soliloquy of words, wrapped in her spiritual beliefs, to share her disdain at the current state of this world, and her outrage with leaders who show more interest in power and status than of service to their countries.

Each poem in Undone is grounded in biblical reasoning, quoting specific verses, and highlighting biblical characters along the way.

EMPHASIS

Barabbas! speaks to the “brokenness, perversion, neurosis” that plagues our world, all because its people chose Barabbas, which is in reference to a biblical character who embodied sin and corruption, over God and His way. In this poem, Garvey also emphasises the negative impact that music and media have had on our people, who have “let our consciences get dull” to their effects, so we no longer can tell what is right from wrong.

In a similar vein, poems, such as God Breathed (based on John 20: 19-21) and Kingdom (Isaiah 24: 19-23) are cries for God to reclaim this broken world, while Wisdom (Proverbs 1: 20), which is personified as a woman using her voice and speaking aloud, shines a light on the leaders of the church and government officials who have lost their moral compass and who have contorted their principles, resulting in corruption at all levels.

REFLECTIVE

These poems are interspersed with others that are in a slightly lighter, yet still reflective note, such as Love, which speaks to Jesus’ love for us, but also refers to Jesus as the name “Love”, who has shown us how to love, and so we should love others. She Prays For Hunger speaks to a world that has become lacklustre and lazy and has allowed sin to spread its arms far and wide, yet there is hope and faith, if we hunger for it, to make this world whole again. Further, if the people of this world will look past the power, position, and prestige of society’s superficial standards to the God-given power of the humble man then, as Garvey proclaimed, may Desert Winds (Luke 3: 1-2) blow again, and may our hearts be transformed.

Garvey concludes this collection with Pro-Choice, a resounding statement of her faith and her decision to choose Christ over the things of this world, as well as her encouragement to her readers to also choose Christ and turn our backs on sin and corruption.

Overall, Undone is a thought-provoking collection that not only showcases West-Garvey’s faith, but also highlights her worldviews on politics, corruption, and sex and sexuality. This comes as no surprise given her experience with the Government of Jamaica and international partners in areas such as human rights, sexual health, anti-corruption, poverty eradication in the Caribbean, among other areas in the political and social spheres.

Nicole Watson is a communicator, content creator and a blogger. Follow her on Instagram @nicolebookishtidbits