あらすじ
Poetry is a medium that allows us to express ourselves in a unique way, providing a place where creativity can flourish and we can look at familiar stories in a new light. Remarkable Things: Poems of Revelation and Comfort by Steve Bell is a collection of poems that reveals how the men, women, and children of the Bible are not all that different from people today and how situations they experienced can be related to some of the challenges of today. Including poems inspired by scriptural truths and current events, as well as fictional characters, Steve retells stories from the Old and New Testaments, focusing on the emotions the characters felt as they interacted with God and other people. Throughout the book, Steve also shares poems birthed out of his own experiences, such as his battle with bipolar disorder and journey to recovery. He writes with vivid imagery and raw emotion, showcasing the universality of certain experiences and that the stories of characters in the Bible are our stories and that our anxieties, regrets, pain, joys, hopes, and expectations have been around since the days of the first couple in the garden of Eden. These poems entice the reader to dig deep into the Bible to see ourselves and our very broken and angry world through God's eyes. Most of all, however, they remind us that through it all, no matter how dark the situation may look, we can always count on our Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace to redeem every situation and use it for His glory. Steve Bell is a native of Southern California and is a retired insurance agent. He has been involved in community service most of his life in many different capacities; lay youth pastor, church elder, provider of services of adults and children with disabilities, mental health educator, psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner, YMCA childcare program site director. A graduate of California State University Long Beach, BA (political science) he divides his time between writing and helping people recover and thrive despite living with serious mental health problems. Steve lives with his wife Gina in Colorado Springs.
作品考察・見どころ
スティーブ・ベルの詩集『Remarkable Things』は、聖書に記された物語を、現代を生きる私たちの魂の震えと見事に共鳴させた傑作です。著者は聖書の人物が抱いた葛藤を、日常に潜む「生々しい感情」として再定義します。その筆致は神話の向こう側にある普遍的な人間性を描き出し、読者は古の言葉の中に、鏡のように自分自身の姿を見出すことになるでしょう。 特筆すべきは、著者自身の双極性障害との闘いから紡がれた真実味です。暗闇の底で神を見つめる眼差しは、痛みや絶望を隠すことなく肯定し、そこから這い上がる「回復の光」を力強く歌い上げます。瑞々しい比喩が織りなす旋律は、壊れかけた世界で孤独に震える心へ、確かな慰めと勇気を注ぎ込む、魂の救済の書といえます。

