Metaphorical Truths

Many thanks to Naomi Thiers for her review of Manna in the Morning at Yellow Arrow Publishing. "I think it’s fair to say the Old Testament itself is a character in Jacqueline Jules’ recent poetry collection Manna in the Morning. Bible stories and personages, including those lesser known, are the central element in so many poems that the Old Testament becomes a presence as we read—not oppressively, but in a way that probes freshly what’s going on with those old tales and weird, flawed characters.  This includes female characters beyond the usual Eve and Esther: Dinah*, Miriam*, Jochebed* and more (just for fun, throughout this review I’ve marked lesser-known female Biblical characters Jules write about with a * and there’s a key at the end!). Even poems that don’t focus on Old Testament stories or characters swirl around the author’s spirituality as a Jewish woman. They bring into Jules’ thinking about her life in the 21st-century metaphors or life lessons from people and situatio...

Consider Moses who never reached his destination. His journey was his legacy. The story of Ruth, who famously said, “your people will be my people,” centers on two grief-stricken women supporting each other through hard times. Rachel was buried by the side of the road to offer a loving prayer to all who pass by. Jonathan was a rare soul, content to be remembered as a loyal friend instead of a powerful king. The poems of Manna in the Morning examine biblical figures through the lens of modern times, extracting insights from the lives of people portrayed as more complex than their worst moment or their best. Katherine E. Young, author of Day of the Border Guards, Poet Laureate Emerita, Arlington, VA offered advance praise for Manna in the Morning, saying. “Jules explores contemporary faith with nuance and sensitivity, braiding together the ancient world and twenty-first century. She’s particularly interested in the roles women play in the Biblical texts and brings a lively feminist sensi...