Calvin in Elfland

I don't normally write poems inspired by articles posted at DesiringGod.org but this article by John Piper about G.K. Chesterton and Calvinism really tickled my imaginative fancy, specifically this statement:

Here’s the reason Chesterton’s bowshots at Calvinism do not bring me down. The Calvinism I love is far closer to the “Elfland” he loves than the rationalism he hates.

He would no doubt be baffled by my experience. For me the biggest, strongest, most beautiful, and most fruitful tree that grows in the soil of “Elfland” is Calvinism. Here is a tree big enough, and strong enough, and high enough to let all the paradoxical branches of the Bible live — and wave with joy in the sunshine of God’s sovereignty.

And so here is my little offering in response to Piper's intriguing declaration. I like to think that, if John Bunyan had written a poem about a visit to Elfland with Calvin as his guide, it might have gone something like this. It's written 30% with my tongue in my cheek and, I suspect, 70% with my hand firmly placed on my heart.

Calvin in Elfland

…and in the forest I saw two trees

each representing different heresies

which had driven the trees rotten at the roots

and sickened the ground wherein the trees stood.

The first, a wizened, stunted thing, curled around

a sign labelled “Free Will”, stuck in the ground

where the roots most needed life and space.

“This tree,” my guide said, “has taken the place

of the tree of truth which once grew bountifully

and sheltered all in its branches, til foolishly

the gardeners cut it down and put

their shrivelled righteousness where it stood,

leaving only truth’s stump.” Thereat, I wept

at the thought of beauty once strong now kept

locked in this sickened, deadly ground.

The second tree, which I then found

beside the stunted one, was named

“Reason”. The name, though grand,

betrayed the rot that lay below

the seeming beauty. Although

it blossomed and grew pleasing fruit,

my guide drew my eyes to the roots

which were grey and lifeless.

“Why,” asked I, “can this bless-

ed tree of reason be so dead?”

“Ah, because,” my learned guide said,

“reason unsanctified is but wand’ring

proudly in the dark. The rings

of this tree declare its ancient age,

yet years that pass do not make sage

the folly of a mind enclosed within

its own ignorance; therein

lies all the blindness of our race.”

But my eyes drew then apace

to where another, grander tree

stood shining, tow’ring sovereignly

over all else in the deathly wood.

I took my guide to where it stood

and gazed wond’ringly at its leaves

and branches through which the breeze

was wondrous gentle, and I knew,

without my guide’s words, that here You,

the mighty God, had let Your grace grow

splendidly; whereat, my guide show-

ing me the sign there, which proclaimed,

“The Sovereign God Has Made His Fame

Known”, we stood in wonder and both prayed

that all might know this splendid shade…