Canticle: The Beauty of Art’s Intrusion
Tau Publishing, 9781619566545, 2022
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“In his classic text on Saint Francis of Assisi, Francis: The Journey and the Dream, Father Murray notes that “Francis wanted more than anything else to leave behind in everyone an attitude of celebration.” This entire book is, in one way or another, a celebration. It is a pilgrim poet’s praise, from beginning to end, examining such subjects as celibacy, Mary, whom Saint Francis called, “Virgin made Church,” nature, light, art, memories, especially of his childhood, and even Silence as it “stands at the window/looking out on urban trees.” Canticle reads like one big songbook, each poem pointing to something to be lifted up, examined and sung in celebration. Perhaps we are what we praise and how we praise, as is exemplified in these well-crafted melodic poems that show Fr. Murray’s love of creation and his love of the words he chooses to express his love. In some of the poems he even praises the words themselves.
To read Canticle from start to finish is to be reminded that there will always be more in this good world to praise, to sing about, and much more to learn about how to carry Love forward by “living loving” as fully as possible.”—Barbara Wuest
Download A Reading of Murray Bodo’s Canticle, by Barbara Wuest (PDF)
Read a review of Canticle by Peggy Rosenthal on Slant.
Read a review of Canticle by Thomas Ovans on the London Grip Poetry Review.