0365 Poets And One World Poem by Michael Shepherd
0365 Poets And One World
The poet's world and the philosopher's
may seem to be in aim, and truth of act,
so different; the poet offers us
fine dreams of heart; philosophy, fine fact;
and yet, both spring from knowing nothing's known,
and wishing knowledge for its own true sake:
the poet seeks a truth in worlds his own;
philosophers seek paths which causes take;
yet both, in knowing their own ignorance,
are moved by wonder at the world they share -
the beauteous laws of this world's governance;
the universal heart and mind seen there:
poetic truth and love of wisdom spring
from wonder at the one in everything.
Yes, Michael, this is a good piece, and thought-provoking. A 'philosopher' like Nietzsche (I have a theory he went mad from having had to lug around all those consonants in his last name, for so many years) wrote that his thoughts came to him like lightning striking! Of course, he was really more of a poet. I remember Robert Bly, when he came to my University, shouted at the top of his Scandinavian, nasal voice, in his most nasal, Scandinavian inflections, 'And those logical positivist philosophers on the university campuses, who say they're 'value-free'...they're not 'value-free'! They're EVIL! ' But that which is indeed written from a sense of wonder...well, for me, that would practically be a DEFINITION of poetry, whatever the medium. Poets I suppose choose images, which can be conductors of Lightning more easily, perhaps, than prose thoughts, and which can 'leap', in Bly's idiom. It's interesting to imagine the KIND of sense of wonder that would cause a Shopenhauer to write long volumes. Would that be any different from the kind that would inspire a Pound to write about 'petals on a wet, black bough? ' Oh...I had another thought hooked, and it got away. If it comes back, I'll post again. AH. It did! That very Aquinas, whom you have quoted, it is well known, said at the end of his life, 'All I have written is as a straw in the wind...' Of course a poet like Rumi knew that, and continued to build out of such straws, for the benefit of others, including you and me... It was fun responding to you!
you're on a roll, Michael! this is outstanding. the last two lines sum it all up nicely. Jake
You have put your finger on it Michael: acknowledging our ignorance first and then wondering at the One we share. I admire the form very much: 4 verses for each idea and the conclusive 2. Challenging.
I LIKE THE LINE THE(1) IN EVERTHING YOU WOULD NO ALL ABOUT THAT ROB
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/24/2024 3:46:32 PM # 1.0.0.1119
i love the line: 'the poet seeks a truth in worlds his own' very nice work