If you must,deconstruct. Take every part;weigh, measure,keep and discardnecessary things. Take all the timeyou need. Butdo not campin the ruins. Discuss discoveriesbutdo not raise monumentsto your brilliance –brave as you may be. Instead,in time.build something…
Browsing Category All
Call Me a Girl – a poem and reflection on the Man Box
If crying in the presenceof loss or beautybreaks the mouldyou squeeze yourselfand all men into,call me a girl. If expressing my inner worldthrough movement, music,art and poetrymakes you squirm’cause that stuff’s dumb’,call me girl. If…
The Incarnation – a Christmas poem
Take all your hope and longing;cover it in blood, urine, faeces, straw.Cut the chord to your dreamswith a field knife or clenched jaw. Here lays the King of the Jews.Crowned between thighs,Held in arms of…
Inadequate Men
Do I ever feel inadequate as a man, as a father, as a husband, as an employee, as a son, a brother, a friend, a Christian? Abso-freaking-lutely! Why? Because every role and title I hold…
Hope – A poem for Advent Sunday #1.
The longing for lost thingsbegins as you do. Your mother was more mobilebefore you filled her belly.She lost her balancealong with sleepand shapeand random acts of selfishness. It’s strange;even thoughwe breathe lossinto our forming lungsbefore…
Are we suffering with collective moral trauma?
There is an interrogative technique often used in psychology and business called The 5 Whys. The technique is simple. You ask a question and then ask ‘Why?’ five times. It’s a remarkably simple technique which…
BLEEDING FROM THE PULPIT. Uncovering the suffering of Church Workers and their families.
A few years back I heard a story of a family who were serving in a regional church community as Pastors. The husband was doing much of the work but, as we know, expectations always…
Sneak Peek! New Poetry Collection
This is the cheeky post before the official launch date post but I can’t wait to share this with you. This new poetry collection was written and published with a number of emerging poets. And…
Reducing Church-based Trauma. Should we start with the Ministry Workers?
In 2011, researcher Marlene Winell coined the phrase Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) in an effort to define the set of symptoms found in those who ‘participated in or left behind authoritarian, dogmatic, and controlling religious…
WHERE DO YOU GO TO CHURCH? Well, it’s complicated.
Last month, Natalie and I came home from a day at our respective workplaces and we’d each been asked the same question, “Where do you guys go to church?” I’ve asked it of others many…
Pastors Under Pressure – Deep dive workshop with David Tensen.
DESCRIPTION Drawing upon decades of life experience and academic research, David Tensen returns to present an interactive 3 hour workshop. Previously, this workshop was presented to therapists and industry experts. This workshop will be open to the public. You…
TO MY SON: ON DATING AND I DOs – a poem
A woman’s body is not yours, son.And yours not hers.Never forget, she’s not yours to possess. Before you hold her to your hip,hold her in your heart, son in love. in adoration. in mutual respect….
Regardless of your opinion, you cannot create unity. Ever.
My recent poetic response on Facebook to some local graffiti sparked an avalanche of comments, PMs and discussions with colleagues. Some of the pushback was not as vicious as I received from a post I…
Poetry and Publishing Collective – Expressions of interest open.
Perhaps this is you?! I’m looking for people interested in being part of a poetry and publishing collective. Here is what I have in mind, if it sounds a bit vague, it’s because I’m creating…
My Present Concern – a father’s poem
It seems this poem does resonate beyond Australia’s borders. I hear a quiet whisper among concerned parents like myself, but few step up to say much.
Thank you, Steve Austin. You’ll be fiercely missed.
My heart has been heavy the last 24 hours after hearing the news of Steve Austin passing away. Like so many around the world would say, we never met in person, but his character and…
A poem for Pentecost
25 years ago I was born again into a tradition where speaking in other tongues was taught in a hyper-personal context. Reading Acts Chapter 2 again this year over Pentecost, I came to see a…
Interview with John McDonald in Scotland – Poetry as the language of the heart
I chat with poet David Tensen about his inspirations, broken times, when trite faith answers don’t add up and wounded heroes. We speak about recovery from burnout, the need to be a rescuer and how…
