A short analysis of John Lyon's Family Prayer and Ina Coolbrith's Millennium

The poem “Family Prayer” lends itself to a wide audience. At first, it seems like John Lyon is talking to Latter-day Saint members, but then as the story goes on, it’s clear that he’s addressing anyone that has ever made a rash decision out of anger. I think the purpose of this poem is to show readers that no matter who they are, one mustn’t let anger and raw emotion dictate the kind of actions they will surely regret. The poem is written in iambic pentameter so rhythm is fluid until the end where Lyon breaks the rhythm in the very last stanza to be didactic, suggesting a moral lesson to his readers. 

            Ina Coolbrith’s poem “Millenium,” has quite a different feeling than “Family Prayer.”  Though this looks to also be written in iambic pentameter, the poem feels much more jarring. For one thing, there is a lot of repetition in this poem. She says, “No nation wars with nation, race with race,” and “brother against brother, face to face.” I feel like the repetitive nature of the poem gives it a foreboding feeling to her readers. Her audience is not solely LDS, though I think that a faithful Christian would be more inclined to read and enjoy this poem. To me, this poem almost resembles the genre of a personal essay in that it reflects the feelings of the poet, but takes a twist as Coolbrith seems to have an imaginary experience of time before the Second Coming.

19th Century Poetry: "Hosanna Anthem" and "Millennium"

William W. Phelps’s “Hosanna Anthem” is a hymn rich with eloquence and vivid imagery. Yet because it’s a hymn, critics would consider its form to be subliterary, according to England’s article. In spite of this, I find the images of the Spirit of God burning “like a fire” and the lamb and the lion lying “down together” to be powerful images that help express the idea of God restoring knowledge, miracles, and eventually peace to the earth in the latter days. As a hymn that was written to be sung for the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the words and themes in this poem are given all the more meaning, as we can see how important and sacred this hymn was to the Saints during such a special occasion.

Ina Coolbrith’s poem “Millennium” is also a powerful piece of literature in its own right. The poem continually brings up the theme of the dark storm that awaits the wicked earth--and contrasts that with the “light” and “morn” and “blessed peace” that will follow the destruction. Coolbrith expresses the wickedness of the world through the epithet “battle-giants of the air” and alliterations like “warring waters.” This poem brings balance to the differing world perspectives on whether God is angry and unforgiving with the sins of the world or if He is loving and merciful: because He is loving, sometimes He has to destroy the wicked in order to preserve the righteous. At its core, however, the poem expresses a very individual experience: A Latter-day Saint who has experienced firsthand the persecution and suffering that has come from an increasingly wicked world, and who eagerly awaits the Second Coming and the peace that will result. Looking at both of these poems, I think that the purpose, form, and unique theological perspective behind the poems have to be considered when we evaluate works for literary potential.

On My 14th Birthday, My First View of Eternity

Eliza. R. Snow's wandering prose in "My First View of a Western Prairie" reminds the reader that early Latter-Day Saints had more than just a religion on their mind. Her poem begins with the more human issue with an exodus: missing home. It appears that Snow sees the vast landscape of the prairie and can't help but be reminded of the epic natures of the classics. Her new home becomes parallel to "the Ioninian fields," then just eclipses them with the spirit of "The Western World!"
As good as writing I see this as, I also can't help but think that she is reassuring her choice to go West with the saints. Perhaps Snow got help with her move by romanticizing, not spiritualizing, the event.

In Richards' "On my Fourteenth Birthday" she outlines a subtle difference between her innocence being taken not only by aging, but also by her religious belief in eternity. As if her birthday didn't buzzkill her youthful feelings, she exclaims that "she is just on the brink" of "earth-life passing away." That doesn't sound like a great title to a birthday party to me.
I had two responses to what she says is her "wiser reflections." This congruence between coming of age and professing religious knowledge reminds me of a bat-mitzvah, or any coming-of-age ceremony. On the other hand, Richards not only mentions her youth being robbed, but her adulthood too, as she caps in her Donne-esque closer "life, death, ye are passing away." By trading a mortal lens for an eternal view, it sounds like her life has lost its salt, ironically. then again, maybe that understanding just comes with age.

"Millennium" and "Elect of Elohim"

Ina Coolbrith’s “Millennium,” is an overall sense of darkness because of the word choice she tends to use, then, near the end of the poem, she uses a turn with “Be still.” The poem is an opportunity to express Ina’s views of the Millennium. The audience would need to be one who is familiar with the idea of the Millennium, so they are able to recognize the idea, and can compare and contrast their ideas with Ina’s.

The title of the poem, “Elect of Elohim” by Orson F. Whitney is interesting, as someone might not understand what it means until they start reading the poem. The structure of the poem has dialogue, which invites the reader to take part in the poem more. At first, “the voice” has no name attached to it, which allows a sense of mystery, but then, later, the reader discovers Michael, Christ, and Lucifer are involved in the conversation. At the beginning, silence is mentioned several times within the same stanza, which adds to how the atmosphere surrounding the poem may be seen. The poem is written for an audience more familiar with the story—some key instances is how Whitney uses his word choice; for example, Kolob. Not very many people can recognize that word. He also subtly hits at other references from the Bible, such as “A prince in shepherd guise.” He continues to do so, throughout the poem—hinting towards both Old and New Testament references.   

Elect Of Elohim and The Kiss- 19th Century Poetry

Elect of Elohim-Orson F. Whitney.

I choose to analyze this one, because I really enjoyed reading it. It is written in the form of an epic poem. I didn’t detect a specific rhythmic form, but there is a rhyme pattern of abcbdefe. The audience is obviously members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The content is doctrine unique to the Church and words like Kolob, Elohim, and Lucifer as also words only commonly used by members of the Church. I think the purpose of the poem is to help members visualize and better understand the council in heaven.

The Kiss-Carol Clark Ottesen

I chose this one because it is so different from all the other ones we read for this section. Most are narrative or instructive type poems. This one though is more describing emotions or an experience in a figurative way. It also has a different purpose then most. It is really more to entertain then to provide some big insight or teach us anything. It doesn’t have a specific rhyme pattern or rhythm, but it uses a lot of similes and metaphors. I also like the way it reads. With the short lines and then the longer ones. I can’t quite describe it, but it adds a dimension to the poem.

"Of the Beginning and the Elect", 19th Century Poetry

"Elect of Elohim," by Orson F. Whitney follows the pre-Earth and mortal life of Jesus Christ. It seems to be written in the Miltonian tradition, very obviously paying homage to Paradise Lost. Beginning with references to the council in heaven on the creation of the world, Orson F. Whitney addresses a thoroughly well-rooted LDS audience. This poem is not for the recent convert to Mormonism. He uses allusions to verses in an obscure book of LDS scripture at the beginning of the poem, as well as traditional Christian imagery (e.g. the lamb, gold-bought kiss) to create a concept of Christ that is very orthodox LDS. His purpose seems to be to evoke a highly emotional response in his readers. 

I think my parents actually read this poem to me once during a family night. I remember not understanding the reference to "Elohim" as God, and misunderstanding the concept of Kolob (in LDS Christian thought, this is the star closest to the throne of God). I thought Kolob was essentially God's planet. By throwing in references like these, Whitney ensures that his audience will be one fully immersed in LDS doctrine and ways of thought.


Susan Elizabeth Howe's "Of the Beginning" is similar in nature and premise to Whitney's poem, but more personal. Rather than a celebration of Christ's eternal purpose, its focus lies in our personal pre-Earth lives and experiences, as we witness the creation of the world. Howe's focus on the individual seems to be pointing out the eternal nature of each and every soul. Her language is predominantly directed at women and seems to be trying to create a place for them within God's plan.

My First View of a Western Prairie and Elect of Elohim

I thoroughly enjoyed that first poem because of its connection with nature and childhood. I see it as a pastoral poem being told in a light tone that builds into an excitement. The connection with that and reaching the Western World holds different, but similar distinctions. The giddy feeling of seeing and being in nature is juxtaposed with the feeling of reaching the destination. The purpose of writing the poem is both to express those emotions and bring them to life, but also revealing and telling part of Eliza R. Snow's personal history. The audience is other members of the Church. 

I see the second poem as more of a narrative poem. The audience is anyone who has knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. That is what essentially the poem is, but in a creative way in which adds more insight and maybe some unique feelings there about it by the author. The purpose of the poem is to allow the reader to reflect about what happened to Christ through the history that we learn of in the Plan and have their own personal experience with it in a unique and creative way.