Ep. 33 | Greg Friedman | A Poet's Approach to the Canticle of the Creatures

St. Francis of Assisi was many things. Peacemaker. Mystic. Contemplative. Prophet. But one of the things we seldom talk about is the fact he was a poet. His poem “Canticle of the Creatures” contains some rich theology and story but what about its beauty as a poem? What happens when we approach this iconic text not first as theologians or historians, but as poets? When we, too, slow down and name the world around us? When we, too, dare to find language for mystery? Father Greg Friedman—Franciscan friar, longtime writer, pilgrim guide, and serious poet in his own right—shares how he approached the Canticle during a 2025 retreat for the Conventual Franciscans marking its 800th anniversary: not as a scholar, but as a fellow poet who has spent years in writing communities, learning the humility of observation, the power of naming, and the way a single well-chosen word can jolt us into wonder. 0:00 Introduction 1:45 Poetry Background 5:14 Poetry and Spirituality 7:02 Beauty of Naming 13:46 Francis the Poet 17:09 Per: A Dynamic Relational Word 17:56 Reflection No. 1: Pathways to the Divine 19:53 New Names: Brother and Sister 25:18 Per and Multidimensional Words 30:48 The Poem’s Popularity and Background 38:01 Reflection No. 2: Surrender and Self-Emptying 40:46 Sister Bodily Death, the Stigmata, and Letting Go 53:36 Sun, Moon, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth 59:16 Reflection No. 3: Art and the Incarnation: Expanding Our Image of God 1:02:46 Final Thoughts and Praying with Each Element 1:11:01 Conclusion