Mystical poetry is poetic verse written about the direct experience of God. It can be found in the writings of the Carmelite saints (e.g., John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila) as well as in our daily prayer (e.g., the Psalms and Canticles in the Divine Office). Yet, many shy away from reading mystical poetry—or any poetry for that matter.
While John of the Cross is one of the most famous mystical poets of all time, some readers (including Carmelites) find his writing style and metaphors challenging, and at times difficult to understand. Focusing on his commentaries can appear more straightforward. Yet, John’s poetry—and all mystical poetry for that matter—can be used to predispose us to and prepare us for contemplation.[1] And, while John’s commentaries are extremely helpful, they do not nearly contain everything that can be found within his poetry.
The preference for John’s commentaries
It is no surprise that readers of John of the Cross may skim or even avoid his poetry, moving straight to his commentaries. Many Secular Carmelites I am familiar with have experienced this in their Formation classes. Poet and Carmelite friar Bonaventure Sauer, OCD, observed that readers skip the poetry “in the belief that what the poem is trying to say can be found better and more clearly expressed in the commentary, rather than vice versa—namely, that what the commentary is trying to say is best and most clearly found in the poem.”[2]
Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD, agrees with Sauer, sharing that “editors are now reminding readers of the benefit of reading the poems first and letting the symbolism speak, before going on to the treatises and commentaries,” adding that “John never intended his readers to restrict themselves to his commentaries.”[3]
Why is there such hesitancy to read John’s poetry? A significant part of the problem is that most readers (and possibly you) approach John with little prior experience reading poetry. A 2023 study showed that only twelve percent of adults in the United States read poetry.[4] In many K–12 classrooms, poetry receives less attention than it once did, often because testing pressure and overpacked curricula leave little room for it.[5]
The statistics are not much better in the United Kingdom (UK). While twenty-four percent of children in the UK said they read poetry at least once a month, the percentage drops from thirty-eight percent for 8-to-11 year-olds to only twenty-two percent for 16-to-18-year-olds.[6] An older UK survey found that only about four percent of UK adults read or write poetry at least once per year.[7]
A lack of experience reading poetry can make it more likely that readers skip John’s poetry and move directly to his commentaries. The commentaries are more like academic textbooks—something with which most of us are comfortable and have more experience. The problem is that poetry is generally not meant to be read with the same mindset and posture as an academic textbook. Poetry often functions as a symbolic summary of beauty—a beauty which, for the Christian, reflects God. Poetry is not a logical argument, nor a theological one. Neither is it simply something pleasing to the eye and ear. True beauty—and mystical poetry in particular—can draw us toward God in ways that differ from other paths.
John of the Cross’ view of poetry
John believed that “symbolic expressions of poetry” were “an excellent introduction into the intimate knowledge of the mystery of God.”[8] Of the fifteen poems in the Collected Works, most are mystical poetry, describing John’s experiences of union with God. His poems explore different aspects of the spiritual journey. For example, The Dark Night “deals with the passive nights” and “how to reach divine union quickly.”[9] John was clear that his poems included everything within his commentaries.[10]
So, if you are interested in pursuing an intimate relationship with God, you need to read both John’s poetry and his commentaries, understanding that the commentary is only a shadow of the poem, just as a description of a painting can never be greater than the painting itself. A painting’s description can help us understand it in many ways, but seeing it is far richer than reading about it. Poetry can be an effective way of communicating the interior life, because “the apparent absurdities of the poetic images and similes are a more powerful means than rational explanations for expressing the mystical experience.”[11]
Seven tips for reading poetry
Now that you’re feeling motivated to dive back into John’s poetry, here are seven tips to get you started.
Become recollected before reading mystical poetry.
John waited for a “spirit of recollection and fervour to descend on him” before writing his poetry and the commentaries.[12] We should read poetry with a similar mindset and become recollected before reading John’s poetry. Reading his poetry immediately after thirty minutes of silent meditation (or directly before) can be productive.
Choose an appropriate environment to read poetry.
Poetry is not like academic reading. John’s poetry should be read in a “non-academic” setting. For example, rather than reading John’s poetry while sitting at a desk with notepad and highlighter in hand, try reading his poetry outside in nature. It may put you in a more receptive state. Reading poetry during the silence in Eucharistic Adoration is particularly beneficial.
Strive to gaze, not to understand.
Read poetry with a desire to feel what the poet felt rather than understand what the poet meant. A person does not need to be taught how to look at an exquisite painting or the red-and-orange brilliance of a sunrise. It is our natural intuition and inclination to do so. We are attracted to beauty. Allow yourself to be attracted to the beauty in poetry, even if your understanding doesn’t keep up.
Don’t be afraid to reread — especially with shorter poems.
We often listen to songs over and over again, and as we learn them by heart, our love for the music grows. The same is true for poetry. Come back to the same poem multiple times over a few weeks. Feel free to pause between stanzas (poetic paragraphs) or to linger on a single stanza that touches you. Poetry shouldn’t be rushed.
Read poetry out loud, so you can hear it.
Hearing poetry is often a very different experience from reading it silently. Try reading poetry out loud so you can hear the words as well as see them. This is particularly useful when a poem uses rhyme and meter.
For poetry that has been translated, listen to it in its original language.
Even if you don’t speak Spanish, listening to John’s poetry in its original Spanish is an amazing experience. The rhyme and meter are lost in translation. The Carmelite nuns often set John’s poetry to music. While you might not understand the Spanish, listening to it can help open the beauty in the poetry. You can listen to both the Spanish and English versions of John’s “Dark Night of the Soul” in this YouTube video.[13]
Learn more about poetry.
While the goal is to gaze rather than to understand, gaining an appreciation for the structure of poetry is also useful. When my daughter, Grace, sang in an opera, I thought it might be boring to watch. After reading a little about the history of opera, the different types, and tips on what to look for, I gained an appreciation that significantly increased my enjoyment. A good starting point for poetry appreciation is The Academy of American Poets’ article, “How to Read a Poem”.[14]
Two added benefits of reading mystical poetry
In addition to predisposing you to contemplation, reading mystical poetry offers two other significant benefits. The first is a descriptive spiritual language.
John writes that people may “feel great repugnance in speaking about” their spiritual experience. “All they can manage to say is they are satisfied, quiet and content, and aware of God, and in their opinion all goes well.”[15] Poetry can help you put words to experiences you have trouble articulating. John says, “Only those who suffer them will know what this experience is like, but they won’t be able to describe it.”[16] This means that poetry is useful for both describing and testing spiritual experiences. If a poem (or part of a poem) resonates with you, it may be because there is some similarity between what the poet writes and your experience. I recall listening to a friend describe a spiritual experience that they had difficulty putting into words. When I shared a poem with them that I thought fit their experience, they exclaimed, “Yes, that’s it!” The poem gave voice to what they were unable to articulate.
Poetry is also useful when we are hesitant to move forward in the spiritual life. John writes, “Even though these souls have begun to walk along the road of virtue, and our Lord desires to place them in the dark night that they may move on to the divine union, they do not advance. The reason for this may be that sometimes they do not want to enter the dark night or allow themselves to be placed in it, or that sometimes they misunderstand themselves.”[17] Mystical poetry frequently offers encouragement when we are reluctant, by showing us the divine beauty that God has in store for us. Even when we do not understand something intellectually, we can still perceive its beauty, and that beauty can draw us inward toward God.
So, while you may have struggled reading mystical poetry in the past and perhaps even avoided it, mystical poetry—and especially John’s poetry—has much to offer those who approach it with openness. Who knows, perhaps you’ll even become a poetry lover!
[1] See Tim Bete, “Poetry at the Threshold of Contemplation”, Mount Carmel Magazine (online: 2 March 2026),
https://mountcarmelmagazine.com/2026/03/02/poetry-at-the-threshold-of-contemplation/.
[2] Bonaventure Sauer, “On the Poetry of St Teresa of Jesus.” Presentation delivered at the 2014 OCDS Regional Congress. Speech transcript, p. 1.
[3] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross. Trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D., 3rd ed. Kindle edition. (Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 2017), p. 20. Hereafter cited as The Collected Works of St John of the Cross.
[4] Iyengar, S. “New Survey Reports Size of Poetry’s Audience.” National Endowment for the Arts, 2023.
https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2023/new-survey-reports-size-poetrys-audience-streaming-included.
[5] Heard, G. “Students Need Poetry Now More Than Ever.” Heinemann Blog, 2024.
https://blog.heinemann.com/students-need-poetry-now-more-than-ever.
[6] Clark, C., Bonafede, F., and Picton, I. Children and Young People’s Engagement with Poetry. (London: National Literacy Trust, 2025), pp. 4–5.
[7] Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Taking Part Survey: Literature 2016/17. Arts Council England, 2017.
[8] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p.55.
[9] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p. 171.
[10] Ibid.
[11] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p. 511.
[12] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p. 694.
[13] A. Z. Foreman, “Dark Night of the Soul” by St John of the Cross read in 16th‑century Spanish & in my English,” YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZwwSd6rnac.
[14] “How to Read a Poem,” Poets.org (Academy of American Poets), https://poets.org/text/how-read-poem-0.
[15] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p. 488.
[16] The Collected Works of St John of the Cross, p. 173.
[17] Ibid.
