The atavistic life of ancientTurks or for that matter, Romans, before that Scythians
and who knows who else, is a testimony to the fact that human beings have, time and again, perfected the art of lying,
deception and inflicting misery on others who they (or is it we)
saw
as
'others'. This is so much like a road
taken again and again
and very much like what I read in Kay Ryan's poem last night,
that a road NOT taken is a road closed to all, to paraphrase Ryan.
The road is here, there,
and very much like what I read in Kay Ryan's poem last night,
that a road NOT taken is a road closed to all, to paraphrase Ryan.
The road is here, there,
everywhere. To me it looms
like blue elephants, slow and majestic.
Or it also becomes dry flowers that usually fall in concentric
rings from trees that hardly care.
My pets, my books, my dear ones, are all strewn
along this road dusted with my little deceptions, obsessions and disharmony.
What is atavistic?
What does it mean?
I can't even remember because I don't have my dictionary
or my thesaurus with me. See, how I deceive myself too?
I'm always taking the aid of these tools,
and to a large extent, my computer -- the Internet.
like blue elephants, slow and majestic.
Or it also becomes dry flowers that usually fall in concentric
rings from trees that hardly care.
My pets, my books, my dear ones, are all strewn
along this road dusted with my little deceptions, obsessions and disharmony.
What is atavistic?
What does it mean?
I can't even remember because I don't have my dictionary
or my thesaurus with me. See, how I deceive myself too?
I'm always taking the aid of these tools,
and to a large extent, my computer -- the Internet.
I war
on my senses, my own
memory. I keep them gagged.
And we as humans have been doing this over
and over again until some roads -- especially those that are NOT
taken and those that WANT
to be taken by so many -- are forever closed.
War, deception, memory
linger on like sticky cheese on fingers, making
me sad. Sad because I wish it were different.
But to tell a secret, it also makes me happy, immensely, to note that rigor
is a name applied to anything and everything.
So, there's a chance!
memory. I keep them gagged.
And we as humans have been doing this over
and over again until some roads -- especially those that are NOT
taken and those that WANT
to be taken by so many -- are forever closed.
War, deception, memory
linger on like sticky cheese on fingers, making
me sad. Sad because I wish it were different.
But to tell a secret, it also makes me happy, immensely, to note that rigor
is a name applied to anything and everything.
So, there's a chance!
10 comments:
This is very political and has a lot to say ~ it shifts between pure poetic metaphor and academic imparting of knowledge. I like the ending of hope.
Hello, after a long time.
Like this poem a lot because of its ruminative nature. Share the concern about deception, lying and other "evil" things in crosscurrents with memory. Somehow memory to me is a highway of all things decadent in human civilization. Oh, well, that's my percetion! Read the Badri Raina poem on Dalit issues, seems to me you are into a lot of things these days -- identity issues, Dalit topics, US politics and apples too, huh?
Where is that anthology? Not out yet?
Dear darknight
welcome back! The title of this poem is Free Writing.... indeed free writing and I hope to etch out my thoughts better in memory and deception... I write only what moves me, makes me angry sad or happy. So these emotions are very basic and uncomplicated, easy to handle may i say? A poem, an outburst, a rant-- and it works well. People do take notice of all that luckily.
Anthology editor says it's taking a bit of time... but sooooon!
Hi Joy
I'm so delighted you visited my blog! I think I sound academic because of the 'atavisms' of my university-journalism-activism life when blogs did not exist or were not popular... But thanks for your kind words. I am political surely, even a rose is a subject of my political outlook!
I'll strive to improve this poem from a free write to something more solid. Come back again!
the dictionary, the computer, and the internet had me worried for a while...
but you came back to roads... and the rigor in the first step
nice!
why worried! I thought although it all sounded so prosaic and mundane, we cannot rule out the dictionary, computer and the Internet from our lives especially when we are unknowingly creating alternative worlds, identities and priorities for ourselves -- sometimes knowlingly! But hey, I'm glad you liked the poem. Come back more, Tanuj.
I mean we are creating alternative worlds, identities and priorities for ourselves through dictionaries, computers, Internet ...
they are one blue elephant for sure...correct!
That's a well written poem. Very political and intelligent. I think exactly as you. I think mankind has shut out without reason (or with reason?) many a road.
And yes, we have all collectively gagged our senses which has made us insensitive; the tools that help us escape ourselves are of course the dictionary, internet, language, etc...
Rhett
PS Would appreciate if you'd read me.
we close many a doors and shut our eyes to many a things ..thats how it has been for many centuries for many of us .I loved the free display of your concern in poetic form ..A very different kind of verse .learned many a things today ..thoughtful .
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