"Shiyr"
is a Hebrew word - it means "singing, musical happening"
The
SHIYR Poets (pronounced 'Sheer') are Brian Doerksen, Calum Rees, Brian Thiessen
& Teresa Trask. Together, they are making the world's most loved and
ancient songbook new again.
A few
years ago, Doerksen was going through a dark and disorienting time of his life.
It was then when he found himself at a loss of words, unable to write anything.
He went a couple of years without doing any writing. Finally, he realized there
are these ancient words that are sometimes dark and difficult; words that sound
like his own words at times. It became a way of survival to him as he reads the psalms and
sings them.
Doerksen
roped in three of his friends, Rees, Thiessen and Trask, to venture together. Choosing
not to censor out the dark and difficult emotions, the SHIYR Poets render each
psalm in its entirety, singing songs of desperation, desire, justice and
praise.