Concerning the Book that is the Body of the Beloved

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And we've been gathering Them in a book Since writing began And before that as songs Or poems people memorized And recited aloud When someone asked: Did you think You would see The loved one again In this world Or in some other? No, that cannot happen. But we have been Gathering, all of us, The scattered remnants Of the loved one Since the beginning.

In the igloo The poem gathers The dark hair of the beloved. All the poems of the world Have been gathering the beloved's Body against your loss. Read in the Book. Open Your eyes and your heart; Open your voice.

Concerning the Book That Is the Body of the Beloved

The beloved Is there and was never lost. Gregory Orr , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Newer Post Older Post Home. Manuela View my complete profile. Poetry can add its grain to an accumulation of consciousness against the idea that there is no alternative - that we're now just in the great flow of capitalism and it can never be any different - that this is human destiny, this is human nature.

A poem can add its grain to all the other grains and that is, I think, a rather important thing to do. And in a picture I wish to say something that would console as music does. This occurred to me, that faith is prose and love is music and hope is poetry. The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things. The poem has a social effect of some kind whether or not the poet wills it to have.

It has a kenetic force, it sets in motion Help with links I'm slowly but constantly updating the video links - if you find a video that doesn't work, please leave a comment on the respective post. Where not otherwise indicated, poems written by Manuela Popovici. No rights claimed for any other work posted here. I am not above loving the hell out of a book in spite of its ethically or logically suspicious philosophical underpinnings.

When it all began!

Orr is a lyric poet of some breathtaking powers, but more and more as the volume rolls on, he becomes a lyricist in the worst possible sense. The interviewer commended his courageous sentimentality, which sounds good, but reading this book I was often-times embarrassed at the insipid sappiness. Parts of it are down right eye-rolling, which is frustrating because at his best Orr is inspiring. Unfortunately there are not enough awesome parts to justify the deluge of brie.

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Jan 02, Andrea rated it it was amazing Shelves: I loved, love this book, just as he did the other Beloved book. I've dog eared about as many pages in this book as I haven't. It is a book that you will hate if you only like narrative poetry, or that works as one long meditation on a subJect, because that is what this book is.

Every poem speaks to the Book that is both life, the world, creation, and the combination of every story and poem ever written, or to the Beloved, which can mean different things to different people: God, a loved one, som I loved, love this book, just as he did the other Beloved book.

God, a loved one, something or someone you adore, life. For me, every poem reads as a prayer, and as a prayer written for readers. Nothing more beautiful than the body Of the beloved that is the world. Nothing more beautiful than the voice Of the beloved, calling our name. In so many poems we hear it. In so many poems, we answer. When you are sad The Book grows larger As if to comfort you. When you despair It can narrow To a single poem.

gregory orr | concerning the book that is the body of the beloved

And when joy Arrives - hard To read at all. How lucky we are That you can't sell A poem, that it has No value. Might As well Give it away. The poem you love, That saved your life, Wasn't it given to you? If these kinds of poems speak to you, then you will love this book, and if not, well then read something else because the world is full of great books and poetry. Mar 16, Ron Christiansen rated it really liked it Shelves: His poetry is simple but deep, words meek yet crazily ambitious.

Some of my favorites: If a peach leads you into the world, Into an appreciation of its delights, How depths beyond measuring. Words begin in weeping, But they're transfigured Somehow. They have Grief still inside them, But outside they shine. Oh, to be deeply naked And still see love In the beloved's eyes. To be free of shame. Was there anything More wonderful? How long did it last? Maybe only a moment; Maybe it was a dream.

We were afraid T His poetry is simple but deep, words meek yet crazily ambitious. We were afraid To feel such joy. Still, it changed us, And for once we knew We belonged in the world. Jan 02, Linda rated it it was amazing Shelves: I read this when it first came out in , and reread it tonight. I have been sick on and off for two weeks, and a lot of quiet time at home has given the time and, yes, at last, a thirst, for poetry again.

I am so glad I have this book! I read it aloud to myself, in one sitting. The poems are very musical and very beautiful, and repetitive the way chants are repetitive. Reading so much online these days, I was remined how satisfying it is to hold a beautifully designed book and turn the pages. If you love the title, as I do, you'll probably love the whole book.

Dec 18, Sheila Dane rated it it was amazing. I really enjoyed this book. Orr has overcome personal tragedy he accidentally shot and killed his younger brother while hunting as a child to write incandescent poetry that reminds one of Rumi. He has come through the darkness that was grief and guilt and suffering to a place that is transcendent. The result is this book of poetry that is unusual in this day of poet as suffering figure of grief. It is uplifting without being sentimental, giving grief and horror its due, but moving beyond it to I really enjoyed this book.

It is uplifting without being sentimental, giving grief and horror its due, but moving beyond it to find some resolution that had heretofore eluded him. I recommend this book to anyone who has lost a loved one or struggled with loss in any form.

Feb 25, Lisa rated it did not like it. I don't think I've ever read a book of poetry with quite so many abstractions. I'll be honest--I ended up skimming most of this. Orr's project for a book-length sequence examining poetry, death, grief, love, representation, etc. There are some interesting and profound statements here and there, but I would not recommend this book. Unless you like repeated examples of words like: Nov 02, Gilbert Wesley Purdy rated it really liked it Shelves: In a thousand languages They say the same thing: The secret of life is love, that casts its wing over all suffering, that takes in its arms the hurt child, that rises green from the fallen seed.

Sadness is there, too. All the sadness in the world. Because the tide ebbs, Because wild waves Punish the shore And the small lives lived there. Because the body is scattered.

Poems and their Music: Concerning the Book that is the Body of the Beloved, by Gregory Orr

Because death is real And sometimes death is not Even the worst of it. If sadness did not run Like a river through the Book, Why would we go there? What would we drink? A raindrop and the dark water Of bogs. Indelible, invisible hold up the page to the light, hold the page near a flame. The world comes into the poem. The poem comes into the world.

Reciprocity — it all comes down To that. Lighten up, lighten up. Let go of the heaviness.

Was it a poem from the Book That so weighed you down?

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