Temple Garden

Temple Garden is Jock Stein's tenth book of poetry but the first collection of its type. It has five sections: Nature Scotland In Response to Bible Texts Questions and Poems of Time and Season. Faber poet Harry Smart in his introduction writes: The title poem of Jock Stein's collection is a natural doorway into the whole. 'Temple Garden' points to faith but not a single faith. We find ourselves in synagogue mosque and Christian church in these poems.Just as the good life involves discipline as well as freedom so these poems showcase a variety of forms so that tradition and twenty-first-century life blend in unexpected ways--inspired by words of Jesus that the writer trained for the kingdom goes into his larder and brings out things new and old. Ancient wisdom and theology it is an example of research through creative practice.The book mixes passion curiosity theology and even whimsy in equal measure as the author delights to show how orthodox Christian faith and poetry together make a unique gateway to exploring the universe along with the wonder and difficulty of human life and destiny. There is always more!