Poetry, Paradox and the Psalms

This paper considers the use of paradox in poetry generally, before going on to look specifically at how it is used in the Book of Psalms and in poetry relating to or influenced by the Psalms. It focusses particularly on the historical influence that the Psalms had on Scottish writers, paradox in twentieth-century Scottish poetry, and how the poets of today use paradox in work that references or that to some extent is inspired by the Psalms.