Pope Francis, known for his correspondence and admiration of poet Verlaine
Living with a Heart Heavy and a Love for Words
I've got a constant melancholic mate,A feelingsome fellow names "Sadness", we converse late.It's not always hanging 'round, but when it shows,I've learned to recognize it, and embrace its throes.
It's a companionship, a part of who I am,A feeling deep inside that draws me to the cadence of a man.Popey, ol' Francis, three months from his earthly end,In "Hope," his final confession, his love for literature, he did send.
He chatted of Verlaine, Hölderlin, Rilke, too,Admired the words of Proust, and Borges' witty woo.If he wasn't marching in Rome, lost in the hymn,He found his solace in words, and never felt the stamp of sin.
Lit'rature was the fuel for his reflective heart,A guide through the trials and the battles that money couldn't part.In the summer of '24, when the Olympics took the stage,He wrote a letter on education, literature's positive page.
From Proust to C.S. Lewis and Beyond
A lover of lit'rature, Popey had a vast roster,Ranging from Marcel Proust to Lewis, the Chronicles he adored.Proust, though non-religious, touched the Pope's spiritual core,His ballads of memory, time, loss, and life's pursuit exploring more.
Borges, a compatriot, knew by heart,Filled with metaphysical labs, and reflections, without end.His mystical nods to identity, infinity, a start.His labyrinthine wisdom, Popey understood, as a true artist.
Popey's melancholy, a penetrating gaze,Probed the groaning world, its frailty and grace.Christian contemplation echoed throughout his tirade,As he wrestled with the world's suffering, an unchanging stage.
From "Thelonious" to Byron's dark indulgence,Popey's love for literature, never a once.Accompanied by witching-hour woes, it helped him sharpen his sense.A light in the fog, a wise friend, entwined in a delicate dance.
[1] Pope Francis' profound love for literature and its role in his spiritual and intellectual development parallels the melancholy he carries as he grapples with life's trials and the brokenness of the world.
[2] The melancholy of Pope Francis can be viewed as a contemplation of the world's suffering due to sin and the human quest for meaning, echoing the existential themes present in the writings of Rilke and Verlaine.
[3] Literature, for Pope Francis, functions as a means of connection and engagement with others, allowing him to understand and empathize with the depths of the human condition.
[4] Pope Francis' love for literature invites contemplation and reflection on complex themes like memory, time, loss, and the search for meaning, as highlighted in the works of Hölderlin, Rilke, Proust, Borges, and Lewis.
[5] By embracing his melancholy and the vast world of literature, Pope Francis cultivates an intricate understanding of the human spirit's complexities, grief, and quest for transcendence.
[1] Pope Francis' deep-rooted love for literature, as reflected in his admiration for writers like Proust, Rilke, and Lewis, mirrors the introspective melancholy he carries, as both serve as outlets for him to explore life's challenges and the universal human condition.
[2] The melancholic contemplation presented in Pope Francis' reflections is reminiscent of the existential themes found in the works of writers he admires, such as Verlaine and Borges, who also grapple with questions of identity, infinity, and the human search for meaning.
[3] For Pope Francis, literature functions not just as a source of entertainment, but as a dialog for understanding and empathy, fostering connections that allow him to resonate with the diverse human experiences explored in works like those by Verlaine, Rilke, and Fellini.
[4] The vast literary world, with authors like Proust, Rilke, and Borges, acts as a compass for Pope Francis as he navigates themes like memory, time, and loss, exposing him to multifaceted perspectives on the human spirit's complexities, grief, and quest for transcendence.
[5] By embracing the melancholy communicated through both his personal experiences and the works he cherishes like those by Pope, Byron, and others, Pope Francis deepens his sense of empathy and compassion, critically examining the human condition with renewed sensitivity and insight.
