If to say it once
And once only, then still
To say: Yes.
And say it complete,
Say it as if the word
Filled the whole moment
With its absolute saying.
Later for “but,”
Later for “if.”
Now
Only the single syllable
That is the beloved,
That is the world.
Gregory Orr
[untitled]
Gregory Orr
what it means
Say yes. Open your whole heart. Drop all your fears and hesitations. Say yes to love. Say yes to loving the world and being a part of the world. God is yes.
why I like it
Gregory Orr is my new favorite poet. I know I said that about Jess, but they both thrill me in different ways. And they are both doing exactly want I want to do as a poet. Unlike Jess who brings in history, politics, identity, as well as the playwright’s craft of creating characters and a narrative, Orr, in this book at least, is all worship. Every poem is a prayer. He reminds me a lot of Ladinsky’s translations of Hafiz, just ecstatic yes.
Like prayer, this poem reminds me of my deepest values. This is how I want to be in the world. I don’t want to be caught by petty insecurities or even real doubts and fears. I want to throw myself open to the beloved in an ecstatic yes.
craft
Ok, my next goal is to write a poem with this level of authority in the speaker’s voice. I mean the audacity of just telling the reader how to be at the deepest spiritual level. I also like the short words and short lines. One craft element you won’t realize from this poem alone is really this entire book is one poem. The individual poems aren’t titled and the book is called How Beautiful the Beloved. I highly recommend it.