Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Originally penned to be read out at a Christian festival called Newday in front of 6000 young people, this epic 15 minute poem from London-based wordsmith Stef Liston is a simply stunning piece of work that affirms the eternal nature of God whilst honing in on the remarkable fact that the creator of the universe wants to have a personal relationship with us. A large part of its success lies in the fact that Liston has employed an accessible colloquial style of writing with eternal mysteries being laid out in a way that suddenly make sense - starting at the beginning of creation and working right through to the promise of Christ's return with lots in between. Loose couplets ebb and flow in rhythmic fashion whilst the poet's London accent and passionate delivery adds warmth and sincerity to proceedings that will have you completely enthralled and engaged. The sections where Liston zeros in on God's love for us are particularly breathtaking thanks to the clarity and beauty of his turn of phrase and, as a result, listening to this poem may well be a life-changing experience for many. Special mention should go to the semi-classical score that sits behind Liston's voice and helps to accentuate the words when and if required - very much in a way that a film soundtrack would. For instance, ambient sounds mark the start of creation whilst a melodic string quartet adorns sections that tell of God's love for us before deep notes on a 'cello bring added gravitas to the depiction of the crucifixion. All in all, this is nothing short of a masterpiece.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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