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Book Reviewed: Doorway: The English Cantos, Volume III, by James Sale, 2025

by Cynthia Erlandson

It’s been several years since I’ve read Dante’s Divine Comedy; yet as I read James Sale’s Doorway, memories of it echoed in my mind. Clearly, Sale has immersed himself in Dante’s masterpiece and has created his own autobiographical work of poetic art in the master’s image.

He does this in several ways. He places his travels among the stars of heaven, with a convincing understanding of astronomy displayed throughout the story. He encounters, on this journey through the heavens, people whom he knows or has known on earth, as well as historical figures and mythological characters. He sees angels. Though his destination is eternity, much of his thought and longing is for Linda, who has reflected for him God’s heavenly love through her earthly love for him. He has guides: a butterfly—universal symbol of transformation and resurrection, representing here an aborted son—and, at various points, long-lost relatives and other guides. It is clear that he has gone through much earthly trauma and is seeking spiritual healing from it. He portrays in many different ways his experiences of being awed by God’s forgiveness and love, during which times he is drawn closer to Him and more deeply into His truth.

Beginning his story with his cleansing baptismal plunge, and then—brilliantly—with an encounter with the repentant thief on a cross next to Jesus’ cross (St. Dismas, who tells his own story in the opening canto), the poet brings us to understand that his poem is a confessional history of one who has come, later in life, to an understanding of his own and mankind’s sinful nature and need of forgiveness, and through this understanding, comes to profound gratitude for the abundant grace of God:

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“And million, million voices in that place

Let rip their singing, and Dismas their star.
Somehow, impossibly, I saw them all—
All those who sought repentance—door ajar

At that last moment when they made their call,
Now glorying in the blood of Jesus Christ:
Their Master who had overcome the Fall.”

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Throughout Doorway the poet reflects on the themes of time and eternity and their mysteries, bringing them together in scenes of an afterlife “where mortal time and eternal truths converge.” He connects all of these themes using his deep knowledge and love of biblical literature, in a way that convinces the reader that he has come to a new, life-giving belief, and has had his eyes opened, through grace, to what is truly real:

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“. . . a sea, completely clear,

Upon which my feet trod in relief,
And yet upheld as once in Galilee
Before, the Rock whom Christ named his chief

Apostle also strode—free, seemingly,
From gravity and all the downward laws
Besetting us, till stumbling in the sea

Poor Peter bared his—yes, and all—our flaws,
Which drown and overwhelm the human soul.”

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The poet-pilgrim wrestles with universal human questions about God’s plan, such as the one John Milton, poet of Paradise Lost, has the spiritual insight to detect inside of this poet’s mind: Why did the Fall have to happen?

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“And you, to wish that Adam

Had never fallen, as now your heart stalls
Within and wishes for its perfect state,
Is wishing only that your own life’s trail

Never and not occurred—you missed life’s fate!”

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The author makes beautiful use of metaphorical imagery to embody spiritual truths; to illustrate how spiritual growth can occur in the human heart and soul; and to flesh out paradoxes like the puzzle of how good can be brought out of evil, and how God could have been separated from God:

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“ ‘For your (Dismas’) sake,’ he said, ‘great God was bereaved;
So God was cut from God as by a knife. . .'”

“With burning coal to touch my lips”; “My lips ablaze—cremating all my lies”; and “but now I too becoming flame”

“. . . some invisible surge
Of energy burst forth from every suture
That stitched the universe and made it charged:”

“But there she stood before me, sun at noon
Not moving, locked into its heavenly burse: . . .”

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His impressive number of scriptural allusions, woven adroitly into the terza rima narrative, include the still, small voice that spoke to Elijah; the Samaritan woman spoken to by Jesus; the women at the 8th Station of the Cross; Joseph’s famous colorful coat; Ezekiel’s dry bones; the tower of Babel; Isaiah’s poem about mounting up with wings as eagles; the love song of Solomon; the sacrifice of Isaac; St. Paul’s metaphor of seeing “through a glass, darkly”, and many others. He also alludes to Gerard Manley Hopkins, and encounters John Milton and the Society of Classical Poets’ own Andrew Benson Brown.

Another notable type of imagery (if it can be called imagery) that occurs frequently in this volume is musical imagery (necessary for any portrayal of heaven) as in these lovely lines:

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“Foundations in His faith like wild notes spread
On thinnest air where symphonies are made?”

“To this surpassing choir where sound is joy.”

“Some living melody all creatures caught . . .”

“Like some atomic charge—where elements
Are changed—I became pure fire, pure hymn: . . .” [This so delightfully Dantean!]

“From distant skies I heard harmony’s store
Of resonating hum and holy sound: . . .”

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Having woven together his immense knowledge and insight into Dante and other famous poets, Biblical history and poetry, mythology, astronomy and astrology, and his willingness to open his life and heart to the reader in poetic biography, James Sale has completed his literary journey through the heavens, and has fulfilled “My task to write the poetry of His truth”, conveying to the reader a palpable catharsis that has lifted him as on eagles’ wings above human frailty and failure. He has composed a poem packed with beauty and wisdom, and overflowing with human emotions from sorrow and shame to overwhelming joy and celebration of the divine love that, in Dante’s words, “moves the sun and the other stars.”

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Cynthia Erlandson is a poet and fitness professional living in Michigan.  Her third collection of poems, Foundations of the Cross and Other Bible Stories, was released in July, 2024 by Wipf and Stock Publishers.  Her other collections are These Holy Mysteries and Notes on Time.  Her poems have also appeared in First Things, Modern Age, The North American Anglican, The Orchards Poetry Review, The Book of Common Praise hymnal, The Catholic Poetry Room, and elsewhere.

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10 Responses

  1. Margaret Coats

    What a brilliant review to conclude Easter week! You’ve convinced me, Cynthia, to read Doorway sooner that I might have otherwise. It is on my list already, as we know James Sale’s work from excerpts presented here. Your summary makes some important overall points. Foremost, I would say, is Sale’s gradual recognition (personal and literary) of sinful human nature and the shared human need for forgiveness and love. In other words, he believes in, and writes about, the Fall of mankind, a truth regularly neglected if not denied even by religious believers. Sale has come to know and feel awe for the “Master who had overcome the Fall.” The healing required is not just psychological (thousands of practitioners are selling their versions of that sort) but spiritual. Saint Peter walking on water (in a Biblical image you quote) serves as an example of the human tendency to fall when he doesn’t keep his eyes on God’s truth. You point to the exalted character of Sale as poet when you say he has fulfilled “My task to write the poetry of His truth.”

    Reply
    • James Sale

      Hi Margaret – thank you for your comments: I am indebted to Cynthia for persuading you to read this earlier than you otherwise would! And I appreciate your comments on the nature of Christian ‘reality’ – or from a Christian perspective, ‘real reality’, as opposed to the make-belief of many Christians and most atheists. Coincidentally enough, I was at a Christian service this morning having to listen painfully to a ‘Minister’ inadvertently reveal that that they knew little of Christian theology and what they did know was an heretical perversion of it: ah! The wolves in sheep’s clothing, seeking, if it were possible, to deceive even the Elect! Yes, ‘The Master who has overcome the Fall’ – the awe, the awe, the total awe! Thanks again for commenting and I hope you enjoy the book when you read it – a little comment on Amazon would be welcome.

      Reply
    • Cynthia Erlandson

      Thank you so much for your comments, Margaret, and I’m glad you’ve been convinced to read the book; it is certainly worth the read!

      Reply
  2. James Sale

    Dear Cynthia – I was somewhat surprised to find this review up so soon, and equally delighted by it. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to read my work so thoroughly, painstakingly even! I am sure SCP readers will be delighted to know that I not only encounter John Milton but also that he is alongside the ever-youthful Andrew Benson Brown – what they are discussing, they’ll have to read to find out! If nothing else – as you have correctly observed – “My task to write the poetry of His truth”: thank you.

    Reply
    • Cynthia Erlandson

      You’re very welcome, James, and I’m glad you’ve written it!

      Reply
  3. Roy Eugene Peterson

    What a great stunning book review, Cynthia, of an enviable poet who long has had my admiration! If he were not the first to have mentioned John Milton, I would have, for in modern times, James Sale’s poetry soars with the eagles.

    Reply
    • Cynthia Erlandson

      I admire James’ poetry too, Roy. Thank you for your comment.

      Reply
  4. ABB

    What a perceptive review. Thanks to Cynthia for shining some appreciation on this work. James is not famous like Simon Armitage or any of these ‘big’ British poets–but I am certain his posthumous glory will long outlast theirs. This trilogy is a masterpiece on many levels–linguistically, conceptually, spiritually. While a serious work, there are also unexpected touches of humor that made me chuckle. I almost fell out of my chair when I encountered my cameo in Canto 5. In true workaholic fashion, I admonish James to get back to work!

    You have finally done it, James. The thing is complete–Bravo! Just because the English Cantos are finished, though, doesn’t mean you can take it easy. There is plenty of marketing still to be done. “No slacking!”

    Reply
    • James Sale

      Thank you Benson – as you like to be called in your own poem! – your comments are marvellous, except the one about my posthumous glory: yes, it’s too easy to die, but if possible – dear God! – I wouldn’t mind a little glory on the Earth now!!! However, I am resigned to be a prophet – and we know what happened to most of those. More importantly, irrespective of personal glory, what I’d really like is for the Christian religion to find its belief again in its own God (namely, Christ) and secondly, for the resurgence of glory for the SCP and all poets and poetry that seeks beauty and form. That’ll make me very happy – indeed, to contribute to these ends is deeply satisfying, for to do so is to participate in the work of God on Earth.

      Reply

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