Poem: Opia
Before getting to the poem today, I wanted to provide a little information about the word opia. John Koenig is the author of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” where he has found holes in the language of emotion and created words to describe them. He defines opia, in part, as “the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.” This is the title of the poem I share with you today.
Here’s a short TED presentation John Koenig gave on the meaning of words, if you’re interested in hearing a little more about his work.
Opia
The first time I looked into your eyes,
I didn’t experience this.
In fact, I must have gazed into them
a hundred times before and not
felt the Earth off kilter.
Maybe before this day,
you never really looked at me.
Maybe our eyes missed each other
by a heartbeat.
But then, one day our eyes met
at the same instant and I felt it.
It rocked me back in my seat
as if our connection had created an explosion.
They say at moments like this
the pupils dilate, I can’t say for
sure, but I do know this: the world
suddenly became brighter.
I love this piece and the whole definition of opia. It’s like really seeing someone beyond the plain externals.
Thank you. I knew when I heard this word that I had to write a poem about it. When I shared this piece with my writing group, it resulted in a conversation about people’s experiences with this feeling. I enjoy when people are so captivated by a piece and it connects with their own experiences.
I read this twice and I listened to the reading. This is so beautiful! 💙
Oh, thank you! That is so sweet. I also love to hear that you enjoyed the audio recording of this piece. The audio is something I started including to pieces quite some time ago and I like the idea of it, so I’m glad to hear it’s still being enjoyed by someone else.
You’re welcome, Mandie. I totally enjoyed it.
I love the way you describe this sudden connection… there is something like that of a narrow beacon… maybe there are those cases where it’s happen all at once. The word is a wonderful one…
Thank you. I really like this word too. It’s a mysterious and powerful connection.
Tonight i discovered the word to an indescribable feeling i felt about a year ago with my current partner. When we were merely strangers at a friend’s get together . It was the first time we had ever looked into each others eyes We both could never understand what took place last New Year’s Day , but the feeling we both felt was the start of a connection that has been unshakable despite all circumstances. Thank you for sharing i feel like I’ve just gained a better understanding of us .
❤ Thank you for sharing this story and your kind words. I apologize, I thought I’d approved and responded to this message, but discovered it never went through.
I love hearing your first encounter with your partner and how you experienced this feeling.