Biblical poetry · August 9, 2026
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When speaking to the crowd, Jesus always used illustrations like these. No one heard him speak without some kind of story. This fulfilled what the psalmist prophesied: I will open my mouth with a parable and explain mysteries kept secret from the beginning.
Some will say with a grumble and sneer,
“I surely don’t want a newsletter here.”
My pick for “why so?” is quite easy to choose:
It’s stuffed with news… but starving for views.
Newspapers once came with rustle and flair,
But now they feel as weak as damp, musty air.
They have headlines and updates in teasing rows—
But no human-interest stories with their woes.
No pirates, no dragons, no heroes who try,
No mysteries whispered or dreams drifting by,
Just numbers and notices stacked in a heap,
The sort of dull reading that puts brains to sleep.
A reader loves tales that wiggle and spin,
With troubles to face and battles to win.
But newsletters often just chatter and say,
“Here’s what just happened last Thursday.”
So readers say, “Nope,” and wave them away.
“Instead, I prefer a great story on any day.”
For news may inform you of this or of that—
But stories grab attention right off the bat.
When there’s story, the heart begins to race.
A twist. A surprise. There’s a remarkable place.
News without story is as stale as month-old stew.
Readers want wonder, and not yesterday’s news.