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Raymond Raney - PoetRaymond Raney describes his lifelong love affair with poetry this way: “I write. I have been writing since the fifth grade. But I’ve always thought of myself as a poet. Not that I’m published, but that has been my choice. I write for myself and for those for whom I write my poetry.“My formal higher education began with a major in English literature with an emphasis on creative writing, but journalism became my second major, and soon I was writing for a living. However, poetry was the constant, a way of apprehending feelings and focusing myself.“I worked as a journalist for 15 years and came to Santa Fe as news editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican. When that career path ended, I moved my focus to the visual arts and received degrees in art history and photography, and taught media studies at the University of New Mexico and Santa Fe Community College. After 12 years, I answered the call to ministry and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 2006.”Fr. Raney’s ministry began at St. Bede’s in Santa Fe. He was rector of Church of the Holy Cross in Edgewood for nearly 10 years before being appointed Canon to the Ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande. Although retired in 2019, he currently serves as interim Priest in Charge at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church, Los Alamos.Concerning the 2022 commission, Raymond Raney shares, “Having previously worked with composer Linda Rice Beck, I was asked to write a poem based on the 1913 painting St. Bride by John Duncan. In keeping with the legend, the work depicts two angels bearing St. Bride from the Isles of Scotland to the Nativity in Bethlehem to serve as midwife to the birth of the Savior. Collaborating with Sarah Jaysmith on the text of the poem was a delight.”