Book Review: Pro-Life Poetry, by Father Edward Mathias Robinson, O.P.

Pro-Life Poetry, by Father Edward Mathias Robinson, O.P.

2013
St. Albert the Great Priory
Irving, Texas

Fourteen pages of poems written by Fr. Edward Robinson, a Dominican priest.  Fr. Robinson served as the Pro-Life coordinator for the Diocese from 1974 to 1993.  After that he was a tremendous supporter of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee in Dallas until his death in 2012.  

His poems explore the sin of abortion, from the decision of those who abort their children, to those of us who silently approve of it by our inactivity.  No one is spared accusation in this little book of poems.  Father wanted abortion to end, but more by changing the hearts of man than by outlawing a procedure.  His poems touch the hearts of all who would read them:  abortionists, women who chose abortion, and a society which looks the other way.

The poetry style is simple, with most stanzas consisting of rhyming lines.  I found the simplicity of his writing to be appealing.  One of them could almost fit on a bumper sticker - if the reader tailgated:

ABORTION*

THE CRUELEST PART IS NOT THE PAIN,

OR THAT THE BLOOD IS SHED,

BUT THAT THE MEASURE OF ONE'S GAIN

IS THAT A MAN IS DEAD......

We received this booklet of poetry at the 2013 Catholic Pro-Life Committee Banquet.  Please pray for the repose of the soul of this good priest.  Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may Perpetual Light shine upon him.  May his soul, and all the souls of the Faithful Departed, rest in peace.

* This poem, and even more poems by Fr. Robinson, can be found at this website:  http://unbornperson.org/Poetry.html