April 24, 2025
The Presence of Poetry in Our Lives: A Conversation with Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye

Ryushin Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye

 

By Tova Green

Poet Naomi Shihab Nye and SFZC Senior Dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller will co-host A Benefit for Gaza: Writers Witness for Peace on May 18, 4 pm at City Center, 300 Page Street. Naomi and ten writers of diverse faiths and backgrounds will read their own or others’ poetry or prose as a benefit for the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) of Berkeley.

Sangha News interviewed Naomi and Paul to explore how they first met, what they have learned from offering an annual retreat together at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and what led them to offer the May 18 reading.

Zen teacher Paul Haller had a hunch that meditation and poetry go together. Paul watched a series of programs about poetry produced by Bill Moyers in the 80’s that featured interviews with poets. One of the poets was Naomi Shihab Nye. “Her poetry stood out for me,” Paul said. “I’d quote many of her poems in Dharma talks.” One of Paul’s students, Dana Velden, suggested Paul reach out to Naomi and invite her to co-lead a retreat at Tassajara with him. Though Paul was hesitant to call someone he’d never met, he decided to give it a try. Naomi’s response was, “it was always my dream to go to Tassajara.”

“I worked in restaurants in college,” Naomi said. “Some of the staff were using the Tassajara Bread Book. I was a religion major, interested in Zen Buddhism. I read Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. It was my favorite book. I carried it everywhere. Once I sat in a dentist’s office holding the book; it was such an anchor for me, like carrying a purse.”

Naomi flew to San Francisco to meet Paul and travel with him to Tassajara for their first retreat, about 18 years ago. “From the first time we did it, the retreat had a magical enthusiasm about it. Many participants became enduring friends after the retreat.” Naomi and Paul have offered the retreat every May since then, except when Tassjara was closed due to the pandemic or wildfires. Naomi brought her mother for six retreats, and a childhood friend joined the group one summer.

Naomi said, “I’ve learned everything I know from Paul.” Paul noted, “I’ve learned from Naomi’s utterly intuitive and kind way of relating and letting something develop; it’s a magic show.” They agree that “the presence of poetry is in all our lives. Its goodness is enduring in a way that fortifies our spirits. The hate-mongering we see today can’t endure in this way. Poetry is the celebration of goodness.”

This year Paul invited Naomi to come for an extra day before their workshop begins. He thought they might be able to do something for Gaza, an event at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center. Naomi embraced the suggestion. “I have been doing benefits all year, everywhere I go. Many are Zoom benefits. The Gazan poet Mosab Abu Toha joined me for one. I joined one in Scotland where I was the only American. We’ve also had numerous in person benefits in my hometown, San Antonio.”

Naomi is delighted to hold the reading at City Center. “The Zen Center is an oasis of peace in the midst of a big city. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of for Gaza – respect, care, tenderness, quietude – an absolute contrast to a war zone.”

 

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