Prose, poetry and prattle: some published, and some ... well, not yet.

Sunday 12 August 2007

The Deafening Silence

It sings a mocking dirge
A melody untuned
Which rocks upon the earth
Unsettling every dune
And while the tides unfurl
A froth of hope and gloom
A precious little girl
Stands silent in my room.

So much was shared between
The wires of a song
But everything seems nothing
Since you won't play along.

Perhaps I should have not
had that facetious thought.


"But he that dares not grasp the thorn, should never crave the rose." - Ann Bronte

Thursday 2 August 2007

A Personal Belief About Beliefs

Belief is an amazing thing. While belief is neither a fact nor an empirical, it can hold great sway among many of us.

Perhaps this is because belief brings order to a chaotic mind, a chaotic world.

Belief decrees, and so demarcates, and while it arranges, it is divisive. The more there is of one kind of it - the more likely that those who stand apart from that kind of belief may be excluded by it. Often, those who make the choice to question a belief, or challenge it, put themselves at great risk of exclusion or derision by those greater in number who stand by it.

Belief is perception. It is not reality. Often we forget. But then, what is reality but a prevailing agreement of the most common perceptions. So, widespread belief can immolate reality with its fervour.

Thankfully, belief is known to evolve. Change. It must. Because the human mind is a fickle thing.

And that which finds home within, like a belief, may also change. Evolve.

Yet, belief would rather forget that the only constant is change. Mostly, belief hates this . Because belief believes it exists to bring order to a chaotic mind. Belief thrives in diplomacy, which advocates order. But belief does not need diplomacy. For when a belief is strong enough, diplomacy is a hindrance. Like a stampeding horde, a popular belief that has never been challenged will trample underfoot those who linger in inquiry or doubt. Or even in diplomacy.

Belief unchallenged is a ball of snow allowed to roll down a slope. Belief unchallenged may grow bigger, but that does not mean it will grow better. A snowball, no matter the size, is always just a snowball. It cannot pretend to have turned into an igloo. That needs work. Needs craft. Needs inquiry and discussion to shape and mould it into something more useful.

That’s my belief. What’s yours?

Wednesday 1 August 2007

Swept Away

My unbridled
optimism gets in the
way of
my longing to be
a fabulous realist.

It is true.

I think too much.

Your one gesture spoke
volumes.

And a castle rose up
upon the fecund beach
where many ruins now stand.

There another ruin
now stands.

And I feel wonderful.