Franz Wright

Redemption Through "Baptism"

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is Idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming."(Colossians 3:5-6) The punishment for sin is death. Death is the loss of anything precious to the heart. Franz Wright recognized where his path was leading him. In "Baptism" Wright alludes to the feelings he has for his own Baptism into the Catholic Church. As personal as this poem is, it applies to all mankind. To live without sin should be the goal for all, and Baptism is merely one road to the ultimate goal.

Wright takes to opportunity in this poem to tell his story in third person from the point of view of his new self. "That insane asshole is dead/ I drowned him/ and he's not coming back. Look/ he has a new life/ a new name/ now/ which no one knows except/ the one who gave it." (1-8) To turn ones life around steps must be taken; killing thy old self for the new to flourish. In Baptism the water cleanses one's past sins and the original sin with which all people are born. Wright's use of death instead of cleansing accentuates the inherit evil of man. A Baptismal name is chosen by the recipient of the ceremony; the new name masking and removing the old self from existence. God the forgiver of sins is the one and only one who knows the name of the new man. The man of the past, the sinner, does not know the new identity. In turning ones back on a sinful life one must describe themselves in a new way and become disconnected from the former style of life.

"his first breath as an infant/ past the waters of birth/ and his soul's, past the death waters, married-"(18-20) Slap! Right on the buttocks; crying is heard from the small sweet child. The breath of life has been given. Anyone can imagine this familiar scenario, is has taken place in hospitals for countless years. During the ceremony of Baptism the last dip into the water is deliberately longer so that there is a breath of new life, a fresh beginning, away from sin. A child in the church is raised with constant awareness of the sin that is present in all men. People wishing to renew themselves must start anew; recognizing the sin that is in the world and surrounds everything. In the poem, the new self sees the soul of its former existence passing through the waters of Baptism and transforming to what it is now. After dieing, to renew ourselves, one must live again to work towards a better self, one away from sin.

"If he tastes/ the wine now/ as he is allowed to/ it won't, I'm