Gregory Orr (poet)

Gregory Orr (born February 3, 1947) is an American poet, essayist, and educator, widely recognized for his intensely personal and lyrical poems that grapple with trauma, loss, and the search for meaning and redemption. His work is often autobiographical, drawing heavily from his childhood experiences, particularly the accidental death of his brother when Orr was 12 years old.

Orr's poetry is characterized by its directness, emotional honesty, and accessible language. He frequently employs narrative techniques to convey his experiences and insights, making his poems both compelling and relatable. While his subject matter can be dark, his poems often offer a sense of hope and resilience, reflecting the power of language and memory to transform suffering into understanding.

He is the author of numerous collections of poetry, including Burning the Empty Nests (1973), Gathering the Bones Together (1975), The Red House (1980), New and Selected Poems (1988), City of Salt (1995), Concerning the Book That Is the Body of the Beloved (2005), and A Little Book of Grief (2002). In addition to his poetry, Orr has also written several books of prose, including Poetry as Survival (2002), a memoir on the healing power of poetry, and The Blessing (2011), an autobiography.

Orr has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. He taught for many years at the University of Virginia, where he was a professor of English and directed the MFA Program in Creative Writing. His influence on contemporary poetry is considerable, particularly among poets who explore personal narratives and themes of trauma and healing. His work continues to be widely read and studied in academic settings.