RSSThe duty of the poet: Gregory Orr
Apr 06
Poetry, Reading, Writing Gregory Orr, how the ink gets in your veins, national poetry month, Poetry, the poet as witness No Comments
Don’t judge a book by its cover, or so goes the cliche. But, I judge every book by its cover. And sometimes I fall in love with books based on their covers alone. Sometimes, my love is rewarded with insides that are just as wonderful as the outsides. Sometimes that pretty face lets me down. Gregory Orr’s book Concerning the Book that is the Body of the Beloved could never let me down.
I fell in love with the cover while shopping online a few months ago, and finally I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I ordered a copy for my very own self. And every time I pick it up and read a few lines it tells me once more why I write poetry. A few of my favorite lines:
But maybe the wind is supposed
To blow right through you;
Maybe you’re a tree in winter
And your poem translates
That cold wind into a song.
I love the fervor of his writing. His conviction that the poet has a calling, a duty in this world. That we create beautiful pairings of words because we must. So I take up my pen and my notebook and head into the world each day, and there’s a reason for it.
Learn more about Gregory Orr at Poets.org. And if you want to read the book I mentioned, Barnes and Noble is one place to find it.
Also, if you want even more poetry in your life, don’t forget to sign up for the “Poem a Day” email list at Poets.org. It’s pretty wonderful to find a new poem in your inbox everyday.