I think it must have been when a friend of mine at school (I'd known her since my first day at primary school, and on through Grammar School and University, before eventually losing touch. Anne Stirling, now Anne Salmon, where are you?) spoke enthusiastically about, and then lent me, The Screwtape Letters. I enjoyed reading it, and began to look out for other books by this author.
For whatever reason, I didn't at first find and read the Narnia series. I am an avid reader of children's books, and have been from my childhood and teens, when this is obviously more normal, on through my twenties, thirties and so on. But I was eighteen before (again) someone lent me The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I loved it straight away, and bought and read the other six books rapidly.
Have you ever thought how much Lewis drew from another firm favourite of mine, E. Nesbit? In the opening of The Magician's Nephew, he says that the story (set back in time from the rest of the series) happened, 'when the Bastables were still seeking for treasure in the Lewisham Road.' Now, there's a clue!
But Lewis didn't just write about Narnia. His Christian apologetics are among the best ever written. Simple, witty, straight forward and with a strong logical effectiveness.
I mentioned (elsewhere) that I once wrote a poem about Narnia, and one about Lewis himself, and I thought I might share them with you guys – why not? I should explain that Lewis hated his first name Clive, and referred to himself, after the age of six, as Jack – and managed to enforce this not only on his friends but on his family! So here goes – I'll be interested to hear if you like these. (But not if you don't!)
Narnia
She tumbled out of the wardrobe
Into a crisp fresh world of light
And brought me with her
To where the snow shines bright.
Where grass clad mountains
Tower above lakes of blue
And trees grow toffees
Because the world is new.
Circling animals who chat,
A lamp post grown from an iron bar;
The first joke, and a cabby for king,
In the spring of a world that’s filled with power.
Where horses fly, and talk, and claim
Their freedom from our ownership;
And island upon island grows
Till the lily lake surrounds the ship.
Where Puddleglum drinks too much wine
And always sees the worst to come;
And the hero, strapped to a silver chair,
Speaks the word, no longer dumb.
The stars burnt through the darkness while
I wept for Aslan, weeping for
Myself, afraid to venture through
The only living magic door.
Jack
He taught
us logic, truth and love
He spoke
from both the head and heart.
We learned
the wisdom from above
With a
sting of wit to make us smart.
He opened
casements on the deep
In faery
lands beyond the shore,
Dreams
that we fail to dream in sleep,
Desires we
long for evermore.
He gave us
beauty, sweet desire,
Called us
on the pilgrimage
Where
reason’s sword has set on fire
Our coward
hearts made hot with rage.
He brought
us to the gates of heaven
But told
us we must make our choice
For in
that highest place, there, even,
Is still
the false, the tempter’s voice.
Fifty
years past he crossed the stream,
Came up
out of the desert place
Awaking to
the real, no dream,
Jack met
his Aslan, face to face.
And now, if I may, I'll be cheeky enough to mention, in almost the same breath – my goodness! – my own books, all romantic thrillers about strong minded Belfast girls:
And my new book, Angel in Flight: An Angel Murphy Thriller, is at:
And now, if I may, I'll be cheeky enough to mention, in almost the same breath – my goodness! – my own books, all romantic thrillers about strong minded Belfast girls:
Belfast Girls now has a new publisher and a new link:
Recently, this book has been back in the top 100, for the second time – is it going to knock 50 Shades for 6 sooner or later?
Danger Danger can be bought at:
Danger Danger can be bought at:
And my new book, Angel in Flight: An Angel Murphy Thriller, is at:
Enjoy!
