Sally Thomas

Sally Thomas is a poet and a fiction writer, living in North Carolina. Besides her two poetry chapbooks, she has a first full-length collection, Motherland (2020), and another Among the Living which is forthcoming — both from Able Muse Press. She is an MFA Thesis Advisor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, and has served in numerous capacities, such as on the advisory board of New Verse Review.

Her fiction primarily appears through Wiseblood Books — including the novel Works of Mercy (2020), and her recent story collection, The Blackbird and Other Stories (2024).

Together with Micah Mattix she edited the anthology Christian Poetry in America Since 1940 (Iron Pen/Paraclete Press, 2022). The following poem first appeared in First Things, and is from her forthcoming book, Among the Living (Able Muse Press).

First Sunday

In Advent, the hermit lights a candle-end,
Drips wax onto a saucer, stands it there.
The early nightfall forms itself around
This little shivering flame. He says his prayer:
Stir up Thy power, Lord. Outside, the wind
Has risen. Rain flicks its fingers at the window.
He’s alone. God’s called him to this homeland
Of loneliness, leafmold. The lengthening shadow
Creeps always from the trees. The winter air
Smells of it. At prayer he is God’s widow,
His heart bereaved and restless. Prepare, prepare—
The word exhorts him. The wet evening’s slow
Footfalls drag. He nods in candlelight,
Then darkness. So the watchman guards the night.

Posted with permission of the poet.

Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of six poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Poiema/Cascade), plus three anthologies — available through Wipf & Stock. His new book The Role of the Moon, inspired by the Metaphysical Poets, is now available from Paraclete Press.