“The Tour”
Hello. How good of You to come and see
my humble dwelling. (Yes, I think You’ll find
unique’s the word.) It suits me to a T.
And it’s a source of pride (the humble kind).
And did I say it looks brand new despite
its age? I’ve lived here all my life, but I’ve
been doing renovations day and night.
Sweat equity—You’ve got to work to thrive.
The walls all ‘round are made of sturdy stock.
The door—completely reinforced with steel.
They’re guaranteed to guard against the shocks
of life. Security’s the thing, I feel.
Windows? Well, no. You see, they cost so much.
And sunlight’s overrated, gen’rally.
I grant, the whole effect might not be such
as welcomes people in, but c’est la vie.
But, oh, You’ve got to see the kitchen! Here!
It’s fully stocked! You never know when you
might crave a midnight snack. It may appear
to be too much, but scarcity won’t do.
The living room may seem austere, with just
a single chair. But see how it reclines!
When you’re alone, your comfort is a must.
Since people seldom come, it suits me fine.
And, no, I wouldn’t say that I am bored.
I have in my collection all the best
of human creativity—all stored
away and tagged, awaiting my request.
But am I growing? It’s funny You should ask.
I entertain my mind and keep it full
with fascinating facts, although the task
of using what I’ve learned is pretty dull.
Now, on Your left You’ll find the Master suite.
It’s really very cozy, though I find
it hard to get a good night’s sleep, complete
with pleasant dreams to ease my . . . active mind.
Now, Lord, since You’re the Owner of the place
and indicated your intent to take
possession right away, I’m sure there’s space.
So, are there any changes You would make?
Author’s note:
The circumstances of this poem are convicting to me for a couple of reasons. First, the idea for “The Tour” came to me while I was sitting in my recliner(!) during COVID. Second, I thought about publishing the poem earlier, but hesitated out of fear that it wouldn’t be well received. Both facts indicate that I need the poem’s message as much as anyone.
Poems, like parables, teach truth indirectly. Since obscurity seems out of place in a blog named Proclaim and Defend, I thought it a good idea to include some questions for thought. Poetry purists may wrestle with the text of the poem on their own before looking over the questions.
Questions for Thought:
1. What do you think that the Speaker’s house represents? What clues do you find in the following statements?
2. “Yes, I think You’ll find unique’s the word. It suits me to a T.”; and
3. “I’ve lived here all my life, but I’ve been doing renovations day and night.”
4. Why do you think the poem records only the Speaker’s side of the conversation?
5. How does the description in each of stanzas 2 – 8 reflect the priorities and value system of the Speaker? How might it challenge our own, especially in our age of relative abundance, comfort, and security?
6. Before the final stanza, what clues are there as to the identity of the Visitor? How does the full realization of this at the end affect our understanding of the purpose of the tour?
7. The poem makes extensive use of a technique called enjambment:
8. Enjambment, from the French meaning “a striding over,” is a poetic term for the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next. An enjambed line typically lacks punctuation at its line break, so the reader is carried smoothly and swiftly—without interruption—to the next line of the poem.[1]
9. Among other things, enjambment moves a poem along more quickly.[2] In the present case, what does the Speaker’s rapidly talking on and on indicate about his or her feelings toward the visit? What do you make of the Speaker’s responses in stanzas 4, 7, and 8 to questions from the Visitor?
10. Is there a tension between the Speaker’s uneasy occupation of the Master suite and the Visitor’s title and authority revealed in last stanza? How does this help us understand the central point of the poem? By the end, do you think that the Speaker understands the real issue?
11. In what ways do you see yourself in the Speaker? What are some changes that you think that the Lord Jesus wants to make in the “house” that you occupy?
Think about the following verse. How does it shed light on the poem’s message?
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Mt 16:25–26 (NKJV).
David Shumate is the Academic Dean at International Baptist College & Seminary, Chandler, AZ.
[1] Jennifer Richter, “What is Enjambment: A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers,” Oregon State University, College of Liberal Arts, School of Writing, Literature, and Film. https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-enjambment.
[2] “Enjambment,” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets. https://poets.org/glossary/enjambment.