Our Intrusive World in Steven L. Peck's "The Slaying of the Trickster God"

The primal sound of coyotes in the desert hearkens back to a primeval time long ago. Feelings of respect and awe for an ancient time, combined with a suspicion of modernity, are drawn out by Steven L. Peck in his poem, The Slaying of the Trickster God. He accomplishes this by using form (the poem is divided into 3 segments-), contrast, and imagery to draw out feelings of respect for these primal creatures.

In the prologue of the poem, vivid descriptions of celestial bodies-such as the sun, moon, stars, and universe-are used to introduce a feeling of eternity and scope. This is a common theme in LDS theology, and is an underlying current in this work. The ancient world of the “Trickster Gods”, or coyotes, is portrayed as being encroached upon in the first section of the poem:

“The other (universe) however folds in on itself, slowly, a topological twisting, until it engulfs itself and is gone…the intrusion. The invasion. But who’s to blame?”

Peck’s use of alliteration helps illustrate the imposition of the reader, and all of humanity, on this ancient world.

The following sections contrast two separate encounters of coyotes with vehicles, with the end result the same in each-a predictably mangled coyote. In both situations it is clear that the people involved would clearly willingly have killed the coyote. However, the tone of the poem conveys that the people in the first incident had a respect for the coyote, while those in the second didn’t.

The first incident includes vivid imagery of the landscape that is home to the coyote, and the final killing of the coyote is merciful, as it had merely been injured by the car. This is in clear contrast to the second, irreverent killing, in which a large truck intentionally squelches the creature’s life. After crushing the coyote, the occupants, John and Mark, celebrated rambunctiously. Lest the allusion to the New Testament go unnoticed, Peck quips that the John and Mark in the story were “authors of no gospel.”

Reading this poem brought me in my minds eye to the desert on a clear summer night, cool with the warm sand, and the Milky Way glistening in the dark sky. It created a solemn, reverent mood for me, and a frustration with our society’s focus on lights and the big city.  

(388 Words)

Lovingly Blatant

Almost all Mormon oratory has a tendency to be organized and delivered in the simplest of ways.  It is custom to try to make principles and doctrines as clear and applicable as possible. 

In this aspect, Jeffrey R. Holland did not break the mold in his address “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments.”  He followed a simple outline: an analytical introduction, three main points that make up the body, and a powerful conclusion to drive the point home.  However, in his rhetoric, his style and tone, he was beautifully himself; unique.

The tone of this speech was as passionate, persistent, and intense as most people would imagine a discourse from Jeffrey R. Holland to be.  But more than that, his tone was also one of motivational support, love, and encouragement.  Several times during his address, he would say things such as, “I care very much about you now and forever,” or “I love you for wanting to be on the right side of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Holland here tactically creates an ambiance, with which the audience will be more receptive to, and accepting of, seemingly harsh or direct statements.  He appeals specifically to that audience, many of which, had “hastily and guiltily and surrept

itiously share[d] intimacy in a darkened corner of a darkened hour.”

The heavy use of metaphors and comparisons to get a point across is also very prevalent in this talk, and appeals to the commonplace.  Consider the following example:

“I know of no one who would, for example rush into the middle of a sacramental service, grab the linen from the tables, throw the bread the full length of the room, tip the water trays onto the floor, and laughingly retreat from the building to await an opportunity to do the same thing at another worship service the next Sunday.”

Holland uses other such comparisons and imagery (as well as the sex equals fire metaphor), to make the misuse of the sacred procreative powers seem as blatantly illogical as possible.  This prose helps people, who are not as receptive to common, Sunday meeting talks, understand the significance of self-restraint.

Lastly, a tool highly evident in Holland’s address is alliteration.  Phrases such as “most mysterious and magnificent chemistry,” or “unspeakable, unfathomable, unbroken power of procreation,” add emotion, or feeling, to stress critical ideas. 

Holland’s abundant use of metaphors, imagery, repetition, alliteration, and his overall style and tone, create a rich oratory experience in which his learning audience can be chastised, yet rewarded.

Grasp it Firmly

Joseph Smith taught George A. Smith to keep sermons and prayers short, and to “deliver (your) sermons with a prayerful heart”. Many times in Jeffery R. Holland’s sermon “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments”, did he talk about having a prayer in his heart, and wishing for the audience to do the same. He addressed the sensitivity of the subject, and the faith and maturity needed to do justice to the topic as well as to keep it sacred.

Elder Holland used much imagery as he used various poems, or described situations that fully contrasted the point he was trying to make. A few examples are when he said “…and if we do not grasp it firmly, then other hands, more determined and bloody than our own, will wrench it from us…” as well as when he described the following scene, “rush into the middle of a sacramental service, grab the linen from the tables, throw the bread the full length of the room, tip the water trays onto the floor…” Both of these descriptions are worded and packed with such imagery and with a sense of disruption that it articulates his point of the power of the sacred, and how we truly should have an opposite course of action in dealing with the symbolic and sacred unity of sexual intimacy within the bounds set by the Lord.

A big metaphor that circles throughout Holland’s sermon is that of fire, and the self destruction and burning that occurs to those who misuse the sacred power given to us by the Lord. Along with this metaphor, his articulations to describe both sides (being married or unmarried) apply the words and help them to stick out in our minds. He describes the unmarried (and murderers) as acting “illegally, illicitly, unfaithfully, (and) without sanction.” Whereas, the married and faithful members are described as “united, bound, linked, tied, welded, sealed, married.” The contrast and list formation of these two sections help us to clearly see and be impacted by what he is saying.

Elder Holland connects to the audience by first being converted by his words himself—which then gives a greater ability to impact all else who hears his words. His knowledge of the world and also of the doctrine, allows his message to be powerful and direct. His use of metaphors, alliteration, and imagery give amplitude and power to the message being shared.

-Lizzy S.