The Leader’s Way 65: Poetry Holds Us Together with Spencer Reece
Sep 29, 2025
Spencer Reece, an Episcopal priest and award-winning poet, shares his journey from retail work to Yale Divinity School. He discusses how poetry acts as a cultural memory and a response to violence, helping us remember lost lives. Reece emphasizes the solace found in memorized verses as spiritual anchors. He reflects on the influence of mentors like Louise Glück and the richness of T. S. Eliot's religious poetry. Additionally, he offers encouragement to aspiring writers, advocating for embracing imperfection and joy in the creative process.
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Long Road To Recognition
- Spencer Reece describes growing up in a book-filled home with alcoholism present.
- He recounts long struggle and 300 rejections before publication at age 41.
Poetry As Cultural Memory
- Poetry preserves lives and memories that would otherwise vanish.
- Spencer Reece argues poems act as cultural memory and moral witness against forgetting.
Memorize Poems For Solace
- Memorize poems so you can call them up like faithful friends in hard moments.
- Spencer Reece recommends carrying memorized lines to provide solace and grounding.
