I recommend heading straight for the poetry. Mary Ellen is certainly right to point out Dana Gioia’s “Majority” as one of the gems of this issue. I also enjoyed Tim Murphy’s bracing advice in “Farm Boy, Call Kayla” and Rhina P. Espaillat’s tribute to him. Gail White’s “Bavarian Baroque” seems particularly timely as our church’s are filled with evergreens and poinsettias, and all the rich ornaments of Advent and Christmas.