I carry a copy of the Bible with me in my kindle (also the holy Koran). Today while I was reading the parable of the prodigal son and found that this parable has similar underlying themes compared to Guru Nanak's teachings on Oneness.
Parable of the Prodigal Son:
In this parable (see below for text), the prodigal son's journey from separation and folly to reunion and forgiveness is analogous to the journey of the individual soul seeking to return to its divine source. The father's unconditional love and forgiveness symbolize the divine's unwavering compassion for all beings, regardless of their past mistakes. This story illustrates the oneness between humanity and the divine:
1. Unity of Humanity and God: The prodigal son's story reflects the idea of unity between humanity and God. Just as the son realizes his separation from his father and longs to return, humans often feel a spiritual longing to reconnect with their divine source. This parallels the Sikh concept of recognizing the divine presence within all, highlighting the unity of creation.
2. Forgiveness and Compassion: The father's forgiveness and embrace of the prodigal son highlight the concept of divine forgiveness. This mirrors Guru Nanak's teachings of divine compassion and forgiveness, which emphasize the all-encompassing nature of God's love and the importance of forgiveness in cultivating unity and harmony among humans.
Confluence of Guru Nanak's and Jesus' Teachings:
While Guru Nanak's Sikhism and Jesus' Christianity are distinct religious traditions, there are similarities in their teachings that underscore the concept of oneness:
1. Oneness of God: Both Guru Nanak and Jesus emphasized the oneness and universality of God. Guru Nanak's teaching of "Ik Onkar" and Jesus' proclamation of the greatest commandment as loving God with all one's heart align in stressing the singular, formless, and all-encompassing nature of the divine.
2. Universal Love and Compassion: Both Guru Nanak and Jesus emphasized the importance of love and compassion. Guru Nanak's teachings of selfless service and love for all beings parallel Jesus' teachings of loving one's neighbor as oneself. Both teachings underscore the unity of humanity and the divine through acts of love and service.
3. Equality and Inclusivity: Both spiritual leaders advocated for the equality of all people. Guru Nanak rejected caste-based divisions, and Jesus' interactions with societal outcasts emphasized his commitment to inclusivity. These teachings highlight the interconnectedness of all humans and emphasize their equal worth in the eyes of the divine.
4. Inner Spiritual Journey: Guru Nanak's emphasis on inner meditation (simran) and realization of the divine within aligns with Jesus' teaching that the kingdom of God is within. Both traditions encourage individuals to look inward for spiritual growth and connection to the divine.
In my view, the parable of the prodigal son and the teachings of Guru Nanak and Jesus converge to emphasize the concept of oneness in several ways: unity between humanity and the divine, forgiveness and compassion, love and service, equality, and the significance of inner spiritual awareness. While these teachings emerge from different religious backgrounds, they share common threads that highlight the interconnectedness of all beings and their relationship with the divine.
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son (also called the prodigal son)
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
The verses of a poem often carry more than just the words printed on the page; they possess an innate vitality that transcends conventional thought and intellect. Billy Collins, in his poem "Introduction to Poetry," takes readers on a journey that unveils the living essence of poetry itself. Through the metaphorical imagery of torturing a poem to extract meaning, Collins invites us to consider the multi-dimensional nature of poetry—its ability to stir emotions, kindle imagination, and provoke introspection. In the light of Collins' insights, I meditated on the profound ways in which poetry reaches beyond mere intellectual grasp, touching upon the emotions, imagination, and symbolism that imbue it with life. This is true of gurbani and other poetry as well. I have come to understand that poetry, like a living entity, possesses the power to transform us. For that reason, shabad is my Guru!
Introduction to Poetry
Billy Collins
I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.
But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.
The Transcendence of Poetry: Beyond the Bounds of Intellect
Poetry, often described as the language of emotions and the realm of artistic expression, possesses a unique ability to transcend the confines of intellect and touch the deepest recesses of the human soul. While intellect serves as a crucial tool for understanding the world around us, poetry takes us on a journey that goes far beyond the rational mind. It harnesses the power of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor to evoke emotions, provoke introspection, and connect us to the profound aspects of our existence. This essay delves into the ways in which poetry transcends intellect, reminding us that its impact lies in its capacity to resonate on a visceral and emotional level.
The Embrace of Emotion
At the core of poetry's transcendence is its ability to evoke and embrace emotions. As Billy Collins eloquently articulates in his poem "Introduction to Poetry," he likens poetry to a living being and cautions against the act of torturing it for meaning. Collins presents the image of dropping a mouse into a poem, watching it probe its way out, and walking inside the poem's room to feel the walls for a light switch. Here, poetry becomes a dynamic experience, one where readers engage with the verses on an emotional level, akin to holding a poem up to the light like a color slide. Collins' metaphor underscores the intrinsic connection between poetry and emotions, highlighting how the act of dissecting it for mere meaning can detract from its living essence.
The Canvas of Imagination
Collins' poem also accentuates how poetry ignites the flames of imagination. When he encourages readers to "waterski across the surface of a poem, waving at the author's name on the shore," he taps into the participatory nature of engaging with poetry. The readers' own experiences, memories, and emotions fill in the gaps left by the poem, allowing them to co-create the narrative. This collaboration between the poet and the reader blurs the lines between intellect and imagination, transporting the message beyond rational comprehension. The poem, then, becomes a vessel for personal interpretation, offering a richer and more profound connection through the journey of imagination.
The Language of Symbolism
Collins' portrayal of tying a poem to a chair with rope and torturing a confession out of it starkly contrasts the essence of poetry's symbolism. In the poem, he urges us to do the opposite—to interact with the poem gently, allowing it to reveal its meanings rather than forcing them out. Symbolism and metaphor are the tools through which poetry transcends the boundaries of intellect. These literary devices allow poets to convey complex ideas, emotions, and concepts by linking them to tangible and relatable images. By appealing to our sensory perceptions, symbolism bridges the gap between intellectual understanding and emotional impact. The moon, for example, might represent both the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of life in a single poem. Through the fusion of these layered meanings, poetry invites readers to explore truths that extend beyond rational comprehension.
Introspection and Self-Discovery
Collins' poem resonates with the idea that understanding a poem's true essence goes beyond the act of extracting a confession. Instead, poetry serves as a catalyst for introspection and self-discovery, guiding us to confront aspects of ourselves that may remain hidden in everyday discourse. The poem's ability to evoke emotions and resonate with personal experiences fosters a deeper understanding of our inner selves. Collins' vivid imagery of "press[ing] an ear against its hive" underscores the intimacy of this introspective journey. This process of self-discovery contributes to personal growth and empathy, reiterating how poetry transcends intellect by inviting us to explore the human experience through a lens of emotions and reflections.
Transformative Power of Poetry
In a world often dominated by the pursuit of knowledge and the analytical prowess of the intellect, poetry emerges as a beacon of transcendent beauty and emotional connection. As Billy Collins' poem illustrates, the act of torturing a poem for its meaning is a reflection of the reductive approach that fails to capture poetry's living essence. By embracing emotions, inspiring imagination, utilizing symbolism, and fostering introspection, poetry carries us beyond the mere realm of intellectual comprehension. It speaks to the very essence of what it means to be human, offering a medium through which we can explore the vast spectrum of human experiences and emotions. As we journey through life, let us not only engage our intellect but also allow the transformative power of poetry to awaken our hearts and souls to the profound mysteries that lie beyond the surface of rational understanding.
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open" ~ Alexander Bell
This poem teaches what man must learn from dog. I was reading a contemporary poem called Fidelity, so I thought I would research other poems. And found this:
A BARKING sound the Shepherd hears, A cry as of a dog or fox; He halts--and searches with his eyes Among the scattered rocks: And now at distance can discern A stirring in a brake of fern; And instantly a dog is seen, Glancing through that covert green.
The Dog is not of mountain breed; Its motions, too, are wild and shy; With something, as the Shepherd thinks, Unusual in its cry: Nor is there any one in sight All round, in hollow or on height; Nor shout, nor whistle strikes his ear; What is the creature doing here?
It was a cove, a huge recess, That keeps, till June, December's snow; A lofty precipice in front, A silent tarn below! Far in the bosom of Helvellyn, Remote from public road or dwelling, Pathway, or cultivated land; From trace of human foot or hand.
There sometimes doth a leaping fish Send through the tarn a lonely cheer; The crags repeat the raven's croak, In symphony austere; Thither the rainbow comes--the cloud-- And mists that spread the flying shroud; And sunbeams; and the sounding blast, That, if it could, would hurry past; But that enormous barrier holds it fast.
Not free from boding thoughts, a while The Shepherd stood; then makes his way O'er rocks and stones, following the Dog As quickly as he may; Nor far had gone before he found A human skeleton on the ground; The appalled Discoverer with a sigh Looks round, to learn the history.
From those abrupt and perilous rocks The Man had fallen, that place of fear! At length upon the Shepherd's mind It breaks, and all is clear: He instantly recalled the name, And who he was, and whence he came; Remembered, too, the very day On which the Traveller passed this way.
But hear a wonder, for whose sake This lamentable tale I tell! A lasting monument of words This wonder merits well. The Dog, which still was hovering nigh, Repeating the same timid cry, This Dog, had been through three months' space A dweller in that savage place.
Yes, proof was plain that, since the day When this ill-fated Traveller died, The Dog had watched about the spot, Or by his master's side: How nourished here through such long time He knows, who gave that love sublime; And gave that strength of feeling, great Above all human estimate!
William Wordsworth
For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
Often we find ourselves in the throes of change in life. We are seeing a lot of that in the US now. A lot of families have had to give up houses they have lived in for years. It's quite painful to watch. It is easy to get depressed. However, you always have a choice and you can choose to sing.
Here is a story about someone who is working hard to achieve balance in life. One who recognizes the gifts given to her when she is loosing so much. She says, "I'm moving this weekend. We finally decided to let this old house go."
I have been reading The Best American Poetry 2010, and for the past few days I have been captivated by Fleda Brown's "The Dead." Not only is her poetry very good, and each poem needs to be savored for several days, she also has one of the best tutorials I have found on her website for emerging poets.
Terresa Wellborn is a writer, librarian, and waffle enthusiast. She says "I dish on panic, poetry, and literary addictions. For the record, I have some degrees {BA, MLIS} and a Bull Terrier who likes carrot peelings. I write late in the arms of the day. I stalk thrift stores and hot rollers, and I'm writing my way to a book." Angels always sing ... but sometimes singing is done by eating words and drinking poetry. Terresa is such an angel. A very interesting selection of words and poetry are found on her blog. So stop by for a chocolate waffle with 0 calories:
In India, in the time of legend, there lived a king with many wives but not one child. Morning and evening for eighteen years, he faced the fire on the sacred altar and prayed for the gift of children.
Finally, a shining goddess rose from the flames.
“I am Savitri, child of the Sun. By your prayers, you have won a daughter.”
Within a year, a daughter came to the king and his favorite wife. He named her Savitri, after the goddess.
Beauty and intelligence were the princess Savitri’s, and eyes that shone like the sun. So splendid was she, people thought she herself was a goddess. Yet, when the time came for her to marry, no man asked for her.
Her father told her, “Weak men turn away from radiance like yours. Go out and find a man worthy of you. Then I will arrange the marriage.”
In the company of servants and councilors, Savitri traveled from place to place. After many days, she came upon a hermitage by a river crossing. Here lived many who had left the towns and cities for a life of prayer and study.
Savitri entered the hall of worship and bowed to the eldest teacher. As they spoke, a young man with shining eyes came into the hall. He guided another man, old and blind.
“Who is that young man?” asked Savitri softly.
“That is Prince Satyavan,” said the teacher, with a smile. “He guides his father, a king whose realm was conquered. It is well that Satyavan’s name means ‘Son of Truth,’ for no man is richer in virtue.”
When Savitri returned home, she found her father sitting with the holy seer named Narada.
“Daughter,” said the king, “have you found a man you wish to marry?”
“Yes, father. His name is Satyavan.”
Narada gasped. “Not Satyavan! Princess, no man could be more worthy, but you must not marry him! I know the future. Satyavan will die, one year from today.”
The king said, “Do you hear, daughter? Choose a different husband!”
Savitri trembled but said, “I have chosen Satyavan, and I will not choose another. However long or short his life, I wish to share it.”
Soon the king rode with Savitri to arrange the marriage.
Satyavan was overjoyed to be offered such a bride. But his father, the blind king, asked Savitri, “Can you bear the hard life of the hermitage? Will you wear our simple robe and our coat of matted bark? Will you eat only fruit and plants of the wild?”
Savitri said, “I care nothing about comfort or hardship. In palace or in hermitage, I am content.”
That very day, Savitri and Satyavan walked hand in hand around the sacred fire in the hall of worship. In front of all the priests and hermits, they became husband and wife.
* * *
For a year, they lived happily. But Savitri could never forget that Satyavan’s death drew closer.
Finally, only three days remained. Savitri entered the hall of worship and faced the sacred fire. There she prayed for three days and nights, not eating or sleeping.
“My love,” said Satyavan, “prayer and fasting are good. But why be this hard on yourself?”
Savitri gave no answer.
The sun was just rising when Savitri at last left the hall. She saw Satyavan heading for the forest, an ax on his shoulder.
Savitri rushed to his side. “I will come with you.”
“Stay here, my love,” said Satyavan. “You should eat and rest.”
But Savitri said, “My heart is set on going.”
Hand in hand, Savitri and Satyavan walked over wooded hills. They smelled the blossoms on flowering trees and paused beside clear streams. The cries of peacocks echoed through the woods.
While Savitri rested, Satyavan chopped firewood from a fallen tree. Suddenly, he dropped his ax.
“My head aches.”
Savitri rushed to him. She laid him down in the shade of a tree, his head on her lap.
“My body is burning! What is wrong with me?”
Satyavan’s eyes closed. His breathing slowed.
Savitri looked up. Coming through the woods to meet them was a princely man. He shone, though his skin was darker than the darkest night. His eyes and his robe were the red of blood.
Trembling, Savitri asked, “Who are you?”
A deep, gentle voice replied. “Princess, you see me only by the power of your prayer and fasting. I am Yama, god of death. Now is the time I must take the spirit of Satyavan.”
Yama took a small noose and passed it through Satyavan’s breast, as if through air. He drew out a tiny likeness of Satyavan, no bigger than a thumb.
Satyavan’s breathing stopped.
Yama placed the likeness inside his robe. “Happiness awaits your husband in my kingdom. Satyavan is a man of great virtue.”
Then Yama turned and headed south, back to his domain.
Savitri rose and started after him.
Yama strode smoothly and swiftly through the woods, while Savitri struggled to keep up. At last, he stopped to face her.
“Savitri! You cannot follow to the land of the dead!”
“Lord Yama, I know your duty is to take my husband. But my duty as his wife is to stay beside him.”
“Princess, that duty is at an end. Still, I admire your loyalty. I will grant you a favor—anything but the life of your husband.”
Savitri said, “Please restore my father-in-law’s kingdom and his sight.”
“His sight and his kingdom shall be restored.”
Yama again headed south. Savitri followed.
Along a river bank, thorns and tall sharp grass let Yama pass untouched. But they tore at Savitri’s clothes and skin.
“Savitri! You have come far enough!”
“Lord Yama, I know my husband will find happiness in your kingdom. But you carry away the happiness that is mine!”
“Princess, even love must bend to fate. Still, I admire your devotion. I will grant you another favor—anything but the life of your husband.”
Savitri said, “Grant many more children to my father.”
“Your father shall have many more children.”
Yama once more turned south. Again, Savitri followed.
Up a steep hill Yama glided, while Savitri clambered after him. At the top, he halted.
“Savitri! I forbid you to come farther!”
“Lord Yama, you are respected and revered by all. Yet, no matter what may come, I will remain by Satyavan!”
“Princess, I tell you for the last time, you will not! Still, I can only admire your courage and your firmness. I will grant you one last favor—anything but the life of your husband.”
“Then grant many children to me. And let them be children of Satyavan!”
Yama’s eyes grew wide as he stared at Savitri. “You did not ask for your husband’s life, yet I cannot grant your wish without releasing him. Princess! Your wit is as strong as your will.”
Yama took out the spirit of Satyavan and removed the noose. The spirit flew north, quickly vanishing from sight.
“Return, Savitri. You have won your husband’s life.”
The sun was just setting when Savitri again laid Satyavan’s head in her lap.
His chest rose and fell. His eyes opened.
“Is the day already gone? I have slept long. But what is wrong, my love? You smile and cry at the same time!”
“My love,” said Savitri, “let us return home.”
* * *
Yama was true to all he had promised. Savitri’s father became father to many more. Satyavan’s father regained both sight and kingdom.
In time, Satyavan became king, and Savitri his queen. They lived long and happily, blessed with many children. So they had no fear or tears when Yama came again to carry them to his kingdom.
About the Story
The story of the princess Savitri is one of the best-known and best-loved tales of India. It appears within The Mahabharata, India’s great national epic, which is much like an Old Testament to the Hindus.
This epic, written down at around the time of Christ, had already been passed on orally for centuries. It arises from a time when legends were born—an age of walled cities, of sun and fire worship, and of women far more independent than later Indian culture allowed.
How to Say the Names
Mahabharata ~ MAH-hah-BAR-a-ta
Narada ~ NAR-a-da
Satyavan ~ SOT-ya-von
Savitri ~ SAH-vit-ree
Yama ~ YAH-ma
I started Early – Took my Dog –
And visited the Sea –
The Mermaids in the Basement
Came out to look at me –
And Frigates – in the Upper Floor
Extended Hempen Hands–
Presuming Me to be a Mouse –
Aground – opon the Sands –
But no Man moved Me – till the Tide
Went past my simple Shoe –
And past my Apron – and my Belt
And past my Boddice – too –
And made as He would eat me up –
As wholly as a Dew
Opon a Dandelion's Sleeve –
And then – I started – too –
And He – He followed – close behind –
I felt His Silver Heel
Opon my Ancle – Then My Shoes
Would overflow with Pearl –
Until We met the Solid Town –
No One He seemed to know –
And bowing – with a Mighty look –
At me – The Sea withdrew –
John Ashbery has a very unique style. Many say he is the best poet in the US currently. Nothing better to learn from the best I say. So I tried to read his poem and write a poem in his style. I am probably not catching everything in his poem (listed first below); but he will likely not catch everything in my poem (being submitted for publishing). This is part of the "Top 75 2010" project where I am trying to learn from the top 75 American poems of 2010.
Alcove by John Ashbery
Is it possible that spring could be
once more approaching? We forget each time
what a mindless business it is, porous like sleep,
adrift on the horizon, refusing to take sides, "mugwump
of the final hour," lest an agenda—horrors!—be imputed to it,
and the whole point of its being spring collapse
like a hole dug in sand. It's breathy, though,
you have to say that for it.
And should further seasons coagulate
into years, like spilled, dried paint, why,
who's to say we weren't provident? We indeed
looked out for others as though they mattered, and they,
catching the spirit, came home with us, spent the night
in an alcove from which their breathing could be heard clearly.
But it's not over yet. Terrible incidents happen
daily. That's how we get around obstacles.
I started to read "The Best American Poetry 2010" last week. As a recent non-poet, I have had a hard time reading any poetry. And I have tried reading poetry -- that same collection as I was growing up. Especially contemporary poetry. Now this is different. I think the thought that has gone in selecting these poems by Amy Gerstler is awesome. I am very thankful that she has done this, not just for poets but for non-poets.
Because, as a recently converted poet, there is no higher need, in my opinion. I think I can say this with almost the authority that John talks about the Bible because I am convert from the other side. The need of poetry is very high for those who are not poets. And this is a book that fulfills some of this need.
And I can see why. Amy's poetry herself is aimed at that. She teaches a class called "Poetry for non-poets." I probably need to take that class. Now ... when not being a poet is still fresh on my mind. And then I can be a poet that will be understood and actually appreciated by someone who has gone through 6th grade (maybe 8th grade ... although I experimented on my son yesterday who is in 2nd grade; I think he will get there soon).
This is part of the "Top 75 2010" project where I am trying to learn from the top 75 American poems of 2010. I will try to comment on the poems from this collection in future posts. Or better yet, try to write my own poems inspired by the styles I read. I have already written a note on John Ashbery's Alcove, the second poem in the collection.
Many songs of spring bring hope. And many of these songs are singing Ekonkar, the oneness of all. Oneness appears fantastic in the color of hope. This is true whether Kabir sings in hope in the 12th century, my dear Guru Nanak sings in the 15th century, or Amy Gerstler sings in the current century.
Just having reading a few of her poems from Amy Gerstler, I am becoming a big fan of her style: Simple words. Deep thought. Reaching impact. Delectable taste. Fantastical approach. Sometimes comical. Always beautiful. Because, she is singing in the love of poetry (this will become clear to you if you read her intro to"The Best American Poetry 2010"). Yes ... Love is indeed all you need. Imagine ... lions hugging lambs, snakes kissing snails, in the garden of oneness. This Saturday, take a walk in this garden of love ... and your soul will get the medicine of peace it dearly needs.
In Perpetual Spring by Amy Gerstler
Gardens are also good places
to sulk. You pass beds of
spiky voodoo lilies
and trip over the roots
of a sweet gum tree,
in search of medieval
plants whose leaves,
when they drop off
turn into birds
if they fall on land,
and colored carp if they
plop into water.
Suddenly the archetypal
human desire for peace
with every other species
wells up in you. The lion
and the lamb cuddling up.
The snake and the snail, kissing.
Even the prick of the thistle,
queen of the weeds, revives
your secret belief
in perpetual spring,
your faith that for every hurt
there is a leaf to cure it.
(Copyright Amy Gerstler, printed without her permission, but in hope of eternal spring)
Kavan Bani Ri Teri Lali - How did you become beautiful?
In "The Song of Wandering Aengus," I believe WB Yeats reveals another dimension of singing oneness. To me, this poem resonates as a song of desire for ultimate beauty. It's a melody that captures the unending yearning to invite beauty into one's life, akin to the dream of savoring the fruits of love and enchantment in the arms of this wondrous beauty. In a way, it feels like singing Ekonkar—the eternal melody of oneness.
Yet, attaining this beauty, as Krishna boldly proclaimed in the Bhagavad Gita, isn't the sole purpose. As the divine verses go, "do your work, forget the fruits." The pursuit of beauty itself, my soul, is what holds significance. It's the journey, the quest, the search—that very path—which becomes the purpose of life, a melodious chant of Ekonkar. Embracing this philosophy, we find inspiration to sing this poem from the depths of our hearts.
As I venture out to the hazel wood, my head ablaze with fiery passion, I embark on a sacred ritual. Cutting and peeling a hazel wand, and stringing a berry upon a thread, I immerse myself in the magical dance of creation, chanting Ekonkar with every step.
As night descends and white moths take to the wing, and stars twinkle like flickering moths, I feel the rhythm of the universe. With a sense of wonder, I release the berry into a flowing stream, and to my delight, I capture a glimmering silver trout—a symbol of the precious and elusive beauty I seek.
But the unfolding tale takes a magical turn. As I lay the silver trout upon the floor, eager to stoke the fire aflame, a mysterious rustling interrupts my reverie. A voice calls me by my name, and I am astonished to witness a vision—a glimmering girl adorned with apple blossoms in her hair. She calls to me with familiarity, and like a wisp of smoke, she vanishes into the brightening air, leaving me in awe and longing.
Though my years have been filled with wandering through hollow and hilly lands, my determination to find this ethereal beauty remains resolute. I yearn to kiss her lips, to hold her hands—to experience the profound connection she ignites within me.
And so, I envision myself walking amidst long dappled grass, forever chasing the silver apples of the moon and the golden apples of the sun—the representations of ultimate fulfillment and enlightenment. The pursuit of this elusive beauty becomes my anthem, my Ekonkar.
Through "The Song of Wandering Aengus," WB Yeats paints a portrait of human longing and the ephemeral nature of life. In every line, he weaves together threads of mythology, folklore, and romance, presenting us with a tapestry of emotions and experiences that echo the very essence of the human soul. As I reflect on this exquisite poem, my heart swells with the desire to sing its verses, to embrace the path of beauty and oneness, and to let the enchanting melody of Ekonkar resonate within my being.
The song of wandering Aengus
W.B. Yeats
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire aflame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And some one called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
Love, love, love, love,
love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do
that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing
that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say
but you can learn how to play
the game; It's easy.
There's nothing you can make
that can't be made.
No one you can save
that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do
but you can learn how to be you
in time It's easy.
All you need is love
love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love,
love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can know
that isn't known.
Nothing you can see
that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be
that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love,
love is all you need.
- John Lennon
This song reminds me of the sovereignity of Ekonkar -- it reminds me that we do not control much. So a lot of the things we do, are useless. Except surrendering to the will to the ruler of our destiny. Surrendering is nothing but loving. And singing is the expression of love! So, the purpose of life remains to sing! This is what my Dear Guru Nanak meant in the 15/16th century in this morning prayer, Japji when he said "Hukam Rajai" -- here is another translation of this poem:
Do not try to clean
what can't be pure
Do not try to quiet
what can't be at peace
Do not try to feed
hunger that doesn't die
Do not try to know
what can't be understood
Acede to the power
that rules everyone
This also reminds me of the poem by Guru Gobind Singh (Jin Prem Kiyo) which comes to the same conclusion:
Doesn't matter how long
my shut eye meditates
and howsoever long
my open mind contemplates
How far I rummage
from place to place;
every holy pilgrimage
just goes to waste!
Or have down deep
many scriptures dug,
but still fail to be
ONE like the lovebug.
The plain truth remains
the eternal life of spring
that I wish to attain
only true love can bring
Learning is an invaluable asset that shapes our lives, enabling us to grow, adapt, and navigate the intricate tapestry of existence. It is a lifelong journey, one that transcends boundaries of age, gender, and circumstance. Oprah Winfrey once beautifully encapsulated this sentiment: "I am a woman in process. I'm just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it."
As Oprah aptly stated, "I am a woman in process," her words resonate with the universal truth that each individual, irrespective of their roles, is constantly evolving and learning. We can all acknowledge this sentiment and apply it to the various aspects of our lives. For instance, I can declare that I am a man in process, a musician in process, a singer in process, and a father in process. In every facet, I recognize the need to learn from life's experiences, striving to enhance my abilities as a musician, singer, father, and global citizen.
Being in a constant state of growth is fundamental to personal development. Just as an artist refines their craft over time, I acknowledge the need to continuously improve as a musician. Learning from my musical experiences, I strive to broaden my repertoire, refine my techniques, and deepen my understanding of music theory. Through dedicated practice, exploration of new genres, and collaboration with fellow musicians, I aim to evolve and reach new heights in my musical journey.
Similarly, as a singer in process, I recognize the significance of embracing learning and growth. I seek to refine my vocal skills, expand my vocal range, and cultivate versatility in various styles and genres of music. Through vocal training, performance opportunities, and self-reflection, I am committed to honing my craft, expressing my emotions through the power of voice, and connecting with audiences on a profound level.
As a father in process, I understand that parenting is a lifelong journey of learning and adaptation. Each day presents an opportunity to grow as a parent, understanding the evolving needs of my child, fostering their development, and nurturing a strong bond. By seeking wisdom from experienced parents, engaging in open communication, and learning from my own successes and failures, I aim to become a better father, providing love, guidance, and support to my child.
Furthermore, as a global citizen in process, I acknowledge the importance of continuously expanding my understanding of diverse cultures, perspectives, and global issues. I embrace opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, engage in meaningful dialogues, and educate myself about global challenges. Through empathy, compassion, and active participation, I strive to contribute positively to my community and the world at large.
In all these roles, I recognize the transformative power of learning and growth. I am committed to embracing every life experience as an opportunity for self-improvement, recognizing that the journey of continuous improvement is what fuels personal fulfillment and makes a positive impact on the world. By remaining open to new knowledge, insights, and perspectives, I navigate the dynamic path of self-discovery and contribute to a better version of myself, fulfilling my potential in all aspects of life.
I must recognize myself as an individuals in process, continuously learning and evolving. May I always have the fortitude and courage to approach every conflict, every experience, with a mindset of curiosity and open-mindedness.
This reminds me of the essence of Japji Sahib which Guru Nanak outlines in the 38th and penultimate stanza:
Jat pāhārā dhīraj suni-ār. Let self-control be the furnace, and patience the goldsmith. aharaṉ mat vayd hathī-ār. Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools. bha-u khalā agan tap tā-u. With the Fear of God as the bellows, fan the flames of tapa, the body’s inner heat. bhānḏā bhā-u amrit tit ḏhāl. In the crucible of love, melt the Nectar of the Name, ghaṟī-ai sabad sachī ṯakasāl. and mint the True Coin of the Shabad, the Word of God. jin ka-u nadar karam tin kār. Such is the karma of those upon whom He has cast His Glance of Grace. nānak nadarī nadar nihāl. ||38|| O Nānak, the Merciful Lord, by His Grace, uplifts and exalts them. ||38||
Here is a letter from Caroline Myss following the tragedies in Japan. Another reminder of our oneness:
Hi Everyone,
As we all know by now, the Earth has shifted once again. Just the slightest change from deep beneath the waters, a crack in the fabric of her lining, and islands quake while tsunami waves rush across shore lines. We awake believing the world - our world - is stable, only to learn again and again that this Earth is as much a living, breathing, moving, active instrument of life as we are. It is the grandest live organism we shall ever encounter, this wondrous Being that sustains us each second of our life. Weeks ago, a cyclone of unprecedented size hit Australia and an earthquake shortly afterwards moved the ground beneath Christchurch, New Zealand. Buildings fell like toys, leaving much of the town in pieces. Who knows what the final death toll will be in Japan? It would appear that the pace as well as the intensity of long predicted earth activity and climate change is accelerating. Like many people familiar with prediction-oriented literature, all sorts of reasons can be put forward as to why the earth goes through a period of increased seismic activity. Scientists will come up with "scientific" data, as expected. From my point of view, if they were so knowledgable in the first place, the massive abuses to the earth would have never taken place occurred because they would have used their scientific data to protect the Earth. They're great at riding the caboose on the train of environmental change and unfortunately the few who have had the courage to attempt to direct the engine have been thwarted by corporate and political interests who insist that all data suggesting even a hint of climate change activity is a liberal conspiracy.
On the extreme other side, I have heard many people make the comment that, "Mother Nature is angry", and that's why these events are happening. I'm not all that certain that Mother Nature functions from the same emotional system of "anger-vengeance/love-reward" that human beings do. I certainly hope not. Given that Mother Nature was an active, alive force long before we occupied this planet, I suspect that She is far more of a cosmic system of intelligence, transcendent of emotions such as anger or vengeance. Rather, if anything, I suspect that the way to understand Mother Nature is best found through the study of the Tao - the study of the laws of balance that essentially govern the activity of Nature. When Nature is out of balance, the system itself will initiate whatever action it must take in order to reestablish an environment capable of sustaining all life - not just human life, but all life. Within the realm of Nature, all life is equal. Life is precious because it is life, not because it is human life or wealthy life or educated life or young life, but because it is life.
We are now living at a time when all cycles and systems of life are out of balance, including our system of perception itself. We do not "perceive" life clearly at all and thus, we as a society make choices that are based on endless illusions. And illusions lead to disasters. There was a time not so long ago, for example, when human beings walked more humbly on the Earth and under the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. Before the "Age of Reason", a person walked into a forest filled with the awareness that the forest was as aware of him as he was of it. He shared the ground with the forest and all the creatures who lived there. They were not his for the taking, for the slaughtering, for dominating. In times gone by, people lived in a type of consciousness in which even the slightest movement of the wind meant something - perhaps heaven was piercing the veil between dimensions, speaking in a soft breeze, moving a branch or a leaf in order to communicate a message, or a warning, or signal its approval. The stars that filled the sky at night were not just pretty, shining objects, but proof of a celestial homeland, the blanket of the Divine covering humanity. Every living creature had purpose and meaning, a place in which it was given a natural dignity because it was created by a God no one doubted existed.
Of course human beings were still human beings in those days before the Age of Reason introduced a love of logic and a God who (obviously) had scientific reasons up "his" celestial sleeve for why all things happen as they do in this whole, big, universe. Civilization was also a dark and dreary place back then, with disease and the plague, and endless wars....oh wait, am I describing then or now? Oh, I'm describing their version of then, not ours. Though they also had war, and they also had epidemics, and they also had starvation, what they did not have that has driven our civilization to the brink of madness is an epidemic of narcissism blended with an epidemic of blind doubt about the existence of the cosmic structure that holds together this fragile place called Earth. Back then, no one doubted the existence of this invisible reality. Today, that doubt is an epidemic and the absence of respect and reverence for the Earth is reflected in the choices governments and corporations make as well as individuals.
Is Mother Earth angry? Don't be silly. A cosmic force hardly gets angry. But a cosmic force does, will, and is seeking balance, just as your individual body seeks balance when it has been struck with a toxin. What is the difference?
The Earth will continue to have an increase in earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, draughts, and whatever else is required to reestablish balance in Her environment. She is a living organism that is, in effect, re-booting Herself. Only the human community has the idea that we somehow live apart from the Earth, that the Earth does not respond to our breathing, to our thoughts, to our actions. It's incomprehensible, to be sure, to even hold such a perspective. But the Earth is that sensitive. Recycling, I assure you, is not enough. Consider the Earth as a family member instead, as a Being that sees you as clearly as you see it. And you are on the "earth" as much when you are standing in the midst of New York City or London as you are in the middle of a forest. You are still "on the earth". Standing on concrete or in a building does not make it any less "earth" except if you hold to the perception that what qualifies for the "earth" is out of the city in green or desert nature. But that's an illusion. How can you ever be off or away from the "earth"? It's precisely that perception - that Nature is in the country but not in the city - that maintains the illusion of separateness. You may prefer to be in the country but you always on the Earth.
Having said all this, let me turn to matters of the loss of human life. While earth shifts are essential for the Earth to survive, they are tragic for us. They result in enormous loss of human life and we must all hold in prayer the souls and the families of the people of Japan. The fear, pain, and grief of the thousands of people is unimaginable. We learn from this tragedy once again that the life we awaken to each morning may well be completely different by the end of the day. We kid ourselves by telling ourselves that we are in charge of the length of our lifetime. We are not. We must treat each day as a gift as well as every person dear to us. We learn from this event in Japan that we can be with the Japanese community of people through prayer, through email, through FB in an instant. We are truly learning an enormous cosmic truth: We are one. And we are meant to use that truth: Pray together, heal our fellow human beings together, and heal our beloved Earth together. Put your soul to work.
Local poets:
http://www.coolpoetry.org/membersontheweb.html
Following is an essay from bay area poet Robert Eastwood on what makes a good poem. I believe this was given as a speech ...
Most of you have entered poems for the contest, and soon––after you've put up with me for a while––we will hear the winners among the many hopeful entrants. A fair question to ask is, what standards have been used to judge my poems? The contest was to identify the good poems, the best poems, from various categories, and then to choose the grand prize poem. And we all participate, entering into the popular illusion that this can be objectively accomplished.
I'd like to explore this behavior of ours, what we implicitly agree to, and the question, what makes a good poem.First I'd like to share a little story.
A year or two after I retired from teaching high school English I received a letter from a student––the brother of a student I'd apparently had when I taught 10th grade English. It went like this...
Dear Mr. Eastwood,
I am a junior at Clayton Valley High. You had my brother, Carl, in one of your classes once. He thinks you're okay. I know you've retired and all, but I've got a problem.
I have been assigned to write a paper on what makes a good poem. I tried to go on-line about it, but all I get is crap. Will you please write me all about it and how you do it, and could you please reply by e-mail as I have kind of let this paper slip and it is due real soon, like I mean REAL SOON.
Sincerely, Brad
Now, I must confess I've been laggard in responding to Brad's request––I mean real laggard, like seven years laggard––but consider this talk a summation of an earnest period of thinking on the matter, and a long overdue reply.
First of all, in the nest of illusions before us, nobody really knows what a poem is, and anybody who tells you definitively, what a poem is, must be a professor and not a poet. Anybody who has actually tried to write a poem knows that anything you can say about a poem, what you should or should not do, the whole prescriptive endeavor––and that includes my talk today––is going to be disproved. As the poet Tony Hoagland says, anything that works is what works. It makes you wonder why we participate in the illusion of certainty surrounding the judging of merit in poems.
The word "poem" comes via French from the Latin and Greek: a thing made or created. Now that leaves a lot of room for interpretation, particularly as to merit.
Like most anything made by a human being, a poem is the embodiment of the life and culture of its time. It involves the poet's biography and bibliography, and also the world in which the poet lives.
Robert Frost insisted that "the way to read a poem in prose or verse is in the light of all the other poems ever written." He's implying, it seems to me, the need for familiarity with the past, but also that we build upon the past, not replicate it. Standards we hold against the poem are equally evolutionary. Indeed, David Alpaugh says that poetry redefines itself by periodic revolutions that adjust its parameters to accommodate shifts in language, culture, and sociology. I dare say the poems of William Blake or John Donne would be rejected for publication by most editors today.
Stephen Dobyns, in his book Best Words, Best Order, says, and I quote, "What we read is always filtered through what we've read, where we are in history, culture, and psychology, various ideologies, and our card-house of opinions." The writer, in other words, is writing the poem through his or her opinions, and through every poem he or she has ever read. To continue with Dobyns, "We call a work original when it surprises these opinions and expands our preconceptions of the limits of the form." I will get back to this central quality of surprise, and show its importance.
I agree with the poet Diane Wakoski when she says, "no two poets writing today can get together on their definitions of what constitutes a good poem." All I can do today is share my thoughts and those of others and hope you won't completely reject them.
Although the poet David Ignatow insisted there is no objective criterion for the judgment of poetry, especially free-verse, I believe what comes closest is a Scoring Rubric. (Remember that rubrics are used by scorers of writing tests, such as English teachers or testing bureaus, to judge the merit of a piece of writing. Scoring one to five on each element of the rubric provides a quasi-objective measure.) The rubric could contain fresh use and technical proficiency in:
Each of these elements can be recognized as being present or absent in a poem, and on a scale of 1 to 5, given a value for the freshness and technical proficiency. Thus, by summation of each of these scores, a numeric value may be given the poem.
But this process still leaves room for a lot of subjective interpretation. Additionally, because poetry combines two different sensory modes (words and sounds, the union of sound and meaning) judging the aesthetic merit of a poem requires judging 1) the literary element, 2) the musical element, and 3) the harmonious integration of sense and sound. In recent years there has been some interesting research done on how music works, notably at the research labs at Stanford, and lead by Daniel J. Levitin, the author of The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. The bridge to poetry, particularly through song lyrics, which incorporate and integrate sense with aural phenomena, aiding recollection and memorization, is in the process of being delved. It's fair to say there's no popular understanding of the workings of this integration––how it propels a poem, though we all recognize it exists.
I want again to call upon David Alpaugh, who has an interesting perspective on judging the elements of a good poem––a process he prefers to call "the satisfaction of key appetites." The appetites David needs satisfied to feel he's experienced poetry are 1) originality, 2) metaphor, i.e., the thrill of two things occurring at the same time and demanding that his imagination put them together. David says, metaphor is the reason why all great poetry is always about the reader, never the writer. And 3) music––"a sense that the poem is not (like prose) written by phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, but composed by the line at the syllabic level, providing the thrill of meter, rhyme, assonance, alliteration, etc." Satisfy two of these appetites, he says, and you have read or heard a good poem. Satisfy all three and you've read or heard a great poem.
Other attributes of a good poem are what Tony Hoagland describes in his book, Real sofistikashun, as "Thingitude and Causality."
Thingitude is the material world of poems––that quality, Hoagland says, which locates, coordinates, and subordinates to build up a compound picture of the world. This has a different slant than the Imagist's, and particularly Ezra Pound's tenets: those are, if you recall, (1) that there be direct treatment of the "thing," whether subjective or objective, (2) that no word be used that does not contribute to the presentation, and (3) to compose in sequence of the musical phrase, not in sequence of the metronome. As Hoagland describes it, Thingitude is the "seen that occupies the poetic stage." The old saw, show not tell, but a richness in sensibility that has not "obstructed or abstracted the lucidity of seeing." "Or, to put it another way," Hoagland says, "...the dialectics of the poem are represented in the particulars, not the commentary." In Thingitude there's a boundless interest in the world and its anatomy. Unlike the Imagist's insistence upon the sole use of words that contribute to the presentation, this is a verbally acrobatic description that renders the world in concrete detail, rich in content. Thingitude has the advantage of a bottomless resource because it draws upon the depths of the world.
An example of Thingitude Hoagland uses is a portion of a poem by Brenda Hillman, called "Fortress." He points to the lucidity, the particularity, and the comprehension of its looking.
1. Night Watchman
August, the season of mild excess,
and the moon comes out like a rumor;
the night watchman stands on the avenue,
weaponless,
kicking one low black shoe with the other
while people go in and out of the liquor store.
There is a row of bottles behind him like bowling pins,
a cashier smoking beside the jars of olives,
and a tall cardboard man in a tuxedo, holding a martini,
and colorful refrigerated items with halved, sweating fruit;
but the night watchman is sober and short,
his crooked badge has numbers and a floral wreath,
his whole body blocks the doorway
as he hums a greeting at the regulars
who have come out, in desperation, at midnight.
There are ideas in this poem Hoagland points out, that swim below the surface––such as the link between consumerism and despair. But there is no commentary. As William Carlos Williams says, the ideas are in the things themselves, the particulars.
Look at Elizabeth Bishop's poem, "The Fish," a poem I'm sure you're all familiar with, as another example of the use of Thingitude. I'm going to read a major portion of the poem.
I caught a tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat
half out of water, with my hook
fast in a corner of his mouth.
He didn't fight.
He hadn't fought at all.
He hung a grunting weight,
battered and venerable
and homely. Here and there
his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
stained and lost through age.
He was speckled with barnacles,
fine rosettes of lime,
and infested
with tiny white sea-lice,
and underneath two or three
rags of green weed hung down.
While his gills were breathing in
the terrible oxygen
––the frightening gills,
fresh and crisp with blood,
that can cut so badly––
I thought of the coarse white flesh
packed in like feathers,
the big bones and the little bones,
the dramatic reds and blacks
of his shiny entrails,
and the pink swim-bladder
like a big peony.
I looked into his eyes
which were far larger than mine
but shallower, and yellowed,
the irises backed and packed
with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
of old scratched isinglass.
They shifted a little, but not
to return my stare.
––It was more like the tipping
of an object toward the light.
I admired his sullen face,
the mechanism of his jaw,
and then I saw
that from his lower lip
––if you could call it a lip––
grim, wet, and weaponlike,
hung five old pieces of fish-line,
or four and a wire leader
with the swivel still attached,
with all their five big hooks
grown firmly in his mouth.
A green line, frayed at the end
where he broke it, two heavier lines,
and a fine black thread
still crimped from the strain and snap
when it broke and he got away.
Like medals with their ribbons
frayed and wavering,
a five-haired beard of wisdom
trailing from his aching jaw....
In this poem, Bishop has restrained the self in deference to her sensibility, in deference to her clear observation, and though she enamels her description with figurative language, we are consumed by the sheer grittiness of detail and "Thingitude."
Causality is at work, according to Hoagland, "when the poetic vision includes not just the luminous and particular present moment, but antecedents and consequences....One way to put it is that the poet's vision becomes less rapturously preoccupied by Being and more mindful of the sequences of Happening, of the ways in which reality is shaped by its histories and its contexts." How the world is linked in time describes Causality, from antecedents, to events to aftermaths. To quote Hoagland, "When things are connected not just by association, but coordinated in sequences of cause and effect, the vision of the world increases in complexity and import."
Thus, if you accept Hoagland's idea, Thingitude and Causality are attributes of a good poem, perhaps one step up the ladder of abstraction in a scoring rubric from the basic components of metaphor, imagery, rhythm, and musical language.
Let's get back to this idea of surprise. I believe a poem is doing its job if it surprises. Elizabeth Bishop considered surprise to be among the central demands to be put upon poetry and art––in other words, the action or work of surprising one into feeling or thinking.
But what is surprise in a poem? How is it produced? What triggers it? Stephen Dobyns describes surprise and what produces it in his essay, "Reader's Life." Surprise is the sudden occurrence of an unanticipated event that creates tension, partly by shaking our faith in our anticipation, and producing uncertainty. All good metaphor incorporates surprise. It's that thrill David Alpaugh speaks of.
Dobyns goes on to say, "A good poem constantly uses surprise. A poem works by setting up various patterns that heighten the reader's anticipation." I would describe these patterns as forms, structures, usages, rhythms and aural effects we are familiar with in our reading and our own writing practice. (That foundation of familiarity we spoke of earlier.) Dobyns says once a pattern has been established, then any variation creates surprise––an unexpected rhyme or half rhyme, an aural echo, line breaks that heighten or diminish the force of words, wit, irony, etc. Unexpectedness can occur in concept, rhetoric, image, syntax or word. Disruption of pattern can occur in rhyme, meter, approach, rhythm, or structure.
Osip Mandelstam wrote: "The capacity for astonishment is the poet's greatest virtue. The fresh air of poetry is the element of surprise."
Most if not all the rhetorical elements we find in a good poem, such as metaphor, imagery, wit, irony, humor, depend upon surprise. They function at triggering the response of surprise in us. Surprise, of course, is not willed by the reader––it arrives, lands in our laps. We can sense its approach as we move through the poem, every sense alert. It is the backbone of pleasure in a poem, or the knee-in-the-gut emotional reaction. It operates like Eliot's objective correlative, coming as evoked astonishment from a set of rhetorical elements in the poem. It's what Dickinson described as how she knew what she was reading was poetry...it took the top of her head off.
As Dobyns says, what the poet most often uses to create tension in a poem is surprise. Tension drives the reader through the poem, makes the reader want to read and anticipate what is going to happen. If the poet has not made the reader want to read, the rest doesn't matter. Tension is the fuel that propels the reader through the landscape the poet has created.
Because the poet is always working against the reader's anticipation, the future has to be made uncertain, and the poet creates this uncertainty through surprise. Surprise is the foremost method of creating tension in poetry.
Tension develops as an anxiety within us as readers––and it can be created by apparently frustrating one or more of the patterns that we have begun to anticipate in the poem.
The poet manipulates the degree of our anticipation by manipulating the flow of information. When Sylvia Plath wrote that a poem "excludes and stuns" she was alluding to the result of the poet's successful manipulation of surprise through poetic devices to create tension.
Surprise sits atop all of the elements we have been attempting to describe as intrinsic in a "good" poem, all the appetites to be satisfied. It draws from all of the qualities we respond to in a good poem, and represents the umbrella impact, the aggregate of goodness.
Now this is important. We have to recognize that the capacity of a poem to deliver pleasing surprise depends on the specific knowledge of the reader, knowledge drawn from both life and, perhaps more importantly, from literature. It's that orientation, that shaping lens mentioned earlier, through which we read and write. What is delightfully surprising to one reader may be simply chaotic to another, and too predictable to a third.
I would like now to share a poem with you that reflects how several of the poetic devices we've been speaking of––namely wit and irony––can create surprise and hence tension in a poem. This is a poem by Tony Hoagland called "Lucky."
If you are lucky in this life,
you will get to help your enemy
the way I got to help my mother
when she was weakened past the point of saying no.
Into the big enamel tub
half-filled with water
which I had made just right,
I lowered the childish skeleton
she had become.
Her eyelids fluttered as I soaped and rinsed
her belly and her chest,
the sorry ruin of her flanks
and the frayed gray cloud
between her legs.
Some nights, sitting by her bed
book open in my lap
while I listened to the air
move thickly in and out of her dark lungs,
my mind filled up with praise
as lush as music,
amazed at the symmetry and luck
that would offer me the chance to pay
my heavy debt of punishment and love
with love and punishment.
And once I held her dripping wet
in the uncomfortable air
between the wheelchair and the tub,
until she begged me like a child
to stop,
an act of cruelty which we both understood
was the ancient irresistible rejoicing
of power over weakness.
If you are lucky in this life,
you will get to raise the spoon
of pristine, frosty ice cream
to the trusting creature mouth
of your old enemy
because the taste buds at least are not broken
because there is a bond between you
and sweet is sweet in any language.
This poem embodies "unexpectedness" in its ironical transpositions between mother and child, between love and embitterment, between loyalty and alienation. It also exemplifies Thingitude in its stark observation of the real "now."
But what facilitates surprise besides the original and creative use of various poetic devices and strategies? Many significant thinkers recognize that Structure plays a primary role in leading us to surprise. This is not the same as form, such as the sonnet, pantoum, or sestina. Poetic structure is (as described in the book of essays entitled Structure and Surprise, edited by Michael Theune) the pattern of a poem's turning.
As Theune says, "Almost no one regularly thinks or speaks in sestinas or pantoums, but almost everyone regularly engages in structured thinking and speech, and many everyday speech acts enact particular structures, contain effective turns. Anyone who has ever confessed anything about their past in order to then make new resolutions about the future has employed the Retrospective-prospective Structure in their thoughts or speech. Even if one has never heard of the Ironic Structure, its turn from set-up to punch line is not a foreign concept to anyone who has heard or told a joke." Theune describes a number of poetic structures that embody the turn, using some rather awkward nomenclature. There are The Concessional Structure, the Emblem Structure, the Elegy's Structure, the Dialectical Argument Structure, and the Descriptive-meditative Structure (which, incidentally, was what Bishop used in "The Fish"), all having the characteristic of the surprising turn. To use Theune's words, "The notion of poetry as a combination of structure and surprise significantly challenges some longstanding, deeply-ingrained ideas about poetry," and, "Structure offers a whole new way to conceive of poems that is at once paradigm-shifting, highly sophisticated, and readily apparent and available." At minimum, Theune gives us another, more tangible, aspect of surprise in poetry. Structure's primary concern is the art of the turn, and, to the point, this often means making surprising turns. Poet-critic Mary Kinzie says, "The very keystone of logic" is "the art of making transition--the art of inference and connection, the art of modulation and (hence) surprise."
Bottom line, we need to recognize the fact that it takes someone who knows about poetry to recognize and care for good poetry. Our poetry contest culminating today is a form of social contract. We join it willingly, trusting in the knowledge and sensitivities of the judges. Probably most of us will be one another's readers, sometime. In that regard, we must dedicate ourselves to be good readers as well as dedicated writers, to seek out and enjoy surprise wherever we find it.
A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS REVIEWED AND/OR CITED
Bishop, Elizabeth: The Complete Poems, 1927-1979, The Noonday Press, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994, NY
Dobyns, Stephen: Best Words, Best Order, Essays on Poetry, St. Martin's Griffin, 1997, NY
Hirshfield, Jane: Hiddenness, Uncertainty, Surprise:Three Generative Energies of Poetry, Newcastle/Bloodaxe Poetry Lectures, Bloodaxe Books, 2008, U.K.
Hoagland, Tony: donkey gospel, Poems, Graywolf Press, 1998,Saint Paul, Minnesota
Hoagland, Tony: Real sofistikashun, Essays On Poetry and Craft, Graywolf Press, 2006, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Holcombe, John C.: Imagism: Poetry of Immediate Sensation, http://www.textetc.com, 2007
Levitin, Daniel J.: The World in Six Songs, How The Musical Brain created Human Nature, Dutton, 2008, NY
Levitin, Daniel J.: This is Your Brain on Music, The Science of a Human Obsession, Dutton, 2006, NY
O'Driscoll, Dennis, Ed.: Quote Poet Unquote, Contemporary Quotations on Poets and Poetry, Copper Canyon Press, 2008, Port Townsend, Washington
Theune, Michael, Ed.: Structure & Surprise, Engaging Poetic Turns, Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 2007, NY
1. KEEP THE POETRY COMING. Paint-ers paint, teachers teach, and poets poem. To excel at writing poetry, you need to flex your poetic muscles daily, even if it’s just revising an earlier work.
2. READ POETRY BY OTHERS. Too many poets worry that their voices will be influenced by the voices of other poets. Don’t fall into this trap. You need to study what you like and do not like from other poets and use that as inspiration for your own work.
3. STUDY POETIC FORMS. While you may decide against publishing sonnets, sestinas and haiku, trying various forms can only help your poetic development. After all, the form of a poem (even free verse) is the skeleton and skin that holds the content together for the reader.
4. ATTEND OPEN MICS. Performing is optional, but poets should at least listen to the spoken word occasionally. Poetry is as much an oral as a visual genre of writing. As such, it benefits a poet to understand the sounds of poetry. Plus, open mics are great for meeting other poets.
5. EXPERIMENT. Is there a poetic “rule” you just don’t like? Try breaking it. Then, look for other rules to bend. Often, the poets who are remembered and quoted are the ones who learned to do something well and then took it in a new direction.
6. REVISE. While there are exceptions, the best poems are written through the revision process. This is a great stage for experimenting. And if a crazy revision doesn’t work (removing all the adverbs just to see what happens?), simply revert to the last draft.
7. CONNECT WITH OTHER POETS. Go to readings, workshops, conferences, social media sites and anywhere else you can connect. Other poets can help keep you motivated to write and submit.
8. SHARE YOUR WORK. Give your poems to friends and family as gifts. Share good collections you’ve read. Remember: As a poet, you are an ambassador of poetry to those who are afraid to read it or think it’s something they just don’t “get.”
9. SUBMIT. Consult a resource like Poet's Market (which I edit) and submit your poems to publications. Through the simple act of following guidelines and receiving feedback (whether through acceptance or rejection), you’ll learn to target an audience and revise appropriately.
10. PUBLISH ON YOUR OWN. Take a do-it-yourself stance to sharing your best work.
The Adamantine Perfection of Desire
by Jane Hirshfield
Nothing more strong than to be helpless before desire.
No reason, the simplified heart whispers, the argument over, only This.
No longer choosing anything but assent.
Its bowl scraped clean to the bottom, the skull-bone cup no longer horrifies, but, rimmed in silver, shines.
A spotted dog follows a bitch in heat. Gray geese flying past us, crying. The living cannot help but love the world.
"The Adamantine Perfection of Desire" by Jane Hirshfield is a poem that explores the complex and multifaceted nature of desire. Jane Hirshfield, a renowned poet with strong connections to Buddhism, weaves Buddhist themes into her work, and this poem is no exception. While the poem does not explicitly convey a Buddhist perspective, it can be interpreted through the lens of Buddhist philosophy, offering insights into desire and attachment. In this essay, we will explore the Buddhist interpretation of this poem, considering it as a cautionary tale against worldly love and attachment.
The Allure of Desire
The poem begins with the assertion that "Nothing more strong than to be helpless before desire." This line encapsulates the relentless and overpowering nature of desire. In Buddhism, desire (or "tanha") is one of the fundamental causes of suffering, leading to attachment, clinging, and ultimately dissatisfaction. The opening lines of the poem can be seen as a recognition of the seductive power of desire and its potential to ensnare individuals in the cycle of suffering.
Surrendering to Desire
The poem suggests that desire should be accepted without resistance. It speaks of the "simplified heart" that whispers, "only This," encouraging a surrender to the immediacy of desire. This concept aligns with the Buddhist idea of accepting the present moment and acknowledging desires without judgment or attachment. However, it also serves as a warning against allowing desire to consume one's existence.
The Adamantine Nature of Desire
The choice of the word "adamantine" in the poem's title underscores the unyielding and unbreakable quality of desire. In a Buddhist context, this can be interpreted as a cautionary symbol. Desire, when unchecked and unexamined, can become as unyielding as diamond, leading individuals to form strong attachments to the impermanent world. This attachment is at the core of suffering, according to Buddhist teachings.
The Illusion of Beauty
The poem continues to explore the transformation of desire from something that "horrifies" into something that "shines." This evolution can be seen as a commentary on the illusory nature of worldly beauty and pleasure. In Buddhism, attachment to transient, external beauty and pleasures is considered a cause of suffering. The poem suggests that once one fully surrenders to desire, the allure of the external world loses its power.
The Natural World and Love
The final stanza introduces images from the natural world, such as the spotted dog following a bitch in heat and the gray geese flying and crying. These images highlight the interconnectedness of all living beings with the world. In Buddhism, the interconnectedness of all existence is a fundamental concept. The poem's conclusion, "The living cannot help but love the world," can be interpreted as a reminder of the importance of cultivating a compassionate and loving attitude towards all living beings, beyond worldly desires and attachments.
To be a memory, to be unforgettable, to forever dwell in the hearts of men. To have no end Life without age A book with no last page A story with a beginning But no ending Through a legacy To forever be To become one of the few that have cheated death Living beyond our last breath Is this why we create So that through our work we can avoid fate
"Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST.”- Frank Zappa
In Spanish:
La información no es conocimiento. El conocimiento no es sabiduría. La sabiduría no es verdad. La verdad no es la belleza. La belleza no es amor. El amor no es la música. La música es LO MEJOR. "- Frank Zappa
It is clear that inner peace is the principal cause of happiness. We can observe this in our daily lives. On days when we are calm and happy, even if difficulties arise or we fall victim to a mishap, we take it well, it doesn’t bother us unduly. But on days when we feel sad or have lost our usual calmness, the least little annoyance will take on enormous proportions and be deeply upsetting to us. - Dalai Lama
In addition to reading and sharing the spiritual poem "Sunrise After 8.9", Here are 10 ways to making donations for Japan's 8.9 quake victims.
1. Text to donate:
The American Red Cross has again launched a texting campaign to raise money for relief efforts in the Pacific region. To donate to the American Red Cross for Japan Earthquake Relief, text REDCROSS to 90999. Each text will provide $10 towards the Red Cross’s humanitarian efforts.
Using Twitter: Tweet with special earthquake hashtags in Japanese
When tweeting, consider using the following hashtags to help identify your tweet.
#Jishin: General earthquake information
#J_j_helpme: Requests for rescue or other aid
#Hinan: Evacuation information
#Anpi: Confirmation of safety of individuals, places, etc.
#311care: Medical information for victims
Inspired by a project (Poets for Tsunami Relief) by inspiring poet Heather Grace Stewart earlier today I wrote this poem. As my other poems, this is a poem I wrote for strength for myself after seeing media coverage of Japan's monster quake, which I refer to by 8.9. If this resonates with you, please share it with friends and family.
Also, if you are interested in donating, here is a list of 10 ways you can make a donation for Japan's relief: Donate for Tsunami Relief
- Shiv
Sunrise After 8.9
Yes
there was
a gory dark time
of an eclipse
of 8.9!
But far
on a rosy horizon
to have darkness undone
sits another baby
sun
I feel
it somewhat low
but I still feel it
with glow
:)
This is
the sun that
will bring close those
who in current life are cast
and memories of those
who were amongst us
in the near
past
This is
the sun that will
shine upon what's in disdain
and upon what cannot be
put together
again
Now
its rays
reflect the
pain (that trembling thrust)
of my dear brothers and sisters
and warmly touch me
as a reminder
of oneness
of us
My soul
feels the warmth
in their acceptance
of the power of nature's will
and feels the pain in
their surrender-
ed smiles
I feel
them somewhat near;
and ever more
dear
:)
far out
on a rosy horizon
to have grave darkness undone
I feel surely sits
baby sun
will again
from its cradle
in the east shine the sun
just like ages ago
its luster had
begun
Hail the sun
for rising again!
Hail the sun
for shining again!
I feel
it somewhat low
but I really feel
it glow
:)
My feelings world will grow
as per the master plan
the sun that now lies low
will again rise from Japan
- Shiv
Saranjaam Laag - On Our Purpose on Earth
Life opens itself up to us, revealing a remarkable beauty that is woven from fleeting moments, gracing our journey on this Earth. With each passing day and every breath we take, the undeniable value of the time we have becomes more evident. Amidst the transience of our existence, we are faced with the challenge of how to engrave our experiences into the pages of history, allowing them to be shared and cherished by generations that follow.
In contemplating this, we find ourselves pondering the ultimate purpose that underlies our presence in this vast cosmos. Could it be anything other than to capture the essence of our voyage, preserving it for posterity as a testament to the depth and beauty of the human saga? As we explore this notion, it becomes clear that artists occupy a unique vantage point in unraveling this mystery – be they poets, musicians, painters, or any of the myriad channels of creative expression.
US poet laureate Robert Hass eloquently delineated the philosophy of his dear friend and mentor, Czeslaw Milosz, illuminating the profound connection between art and memory. "If art doesn't somehow preserve our memory of the gift of life on Earth we have lost," Hass mused, encapsulating the role of artistic expression as a vessel for encapsulating our existence and emotions, safeguarding them from the relentless march of time.
For me, personally, this purpose finds its expression in the world of music and songwriting. Each melody and verse I create serves as a custodian of memories that shape our shared humanity. Through these compositions, I strive to capture the fleeting instances of unity and interconnectedness that arise during our journey. These songs, in turn, act as guides, leading both myself and others towards a deeper connection with the world around us.
Consequently, I firmly believe that the act of singing embodies the true essence of life. To sing is to distill the multifaceted nature of existence into a harmonious expression that transcends language and time. It is a celebration of life, an acknowledgment of the splendor inherent in every moment we spend on this planet.
Every moment spent singing infuses my moments with meaning, elevating them to echoes that reverberate across the ages. By embracing this purpose, I seize the opportunity to extract the maximum value from the extraordinary gift of life that we've been bestowed – a life filled with potential, significance, and the invitation to fill it with melodies that will resonate throughout time. By embracing this purpose I win.
Text of PBS Interview with Robert Hass
I extracted this from an interview he did with PBS. I was reading this blog again in 2023 and it seems PBS has removed the video and text interview from their website. So I am glad I saved the text. Here it goes:
JEFFREY BROWN: There were actually two winners in the poetry category this year. Philip Schultz won for his book "Failure" and Robert Hass for his book "Time and Materials," which also won the National Book Award.
Hass is a noted translator and teacher at the University of California at Berkeley. He served as poet laureate for two years in the mid-'90s, the last time he joined us on this program.
So I can say welcome back, and congratulations to you.
ROBERT HASS, Poet: Thank you, Jeff, very much.
JEFFREY BROWN: I think I'm right that many of these poems in this collection were written at a time when you had various public roles.
ROBERT HASS: That's right.
JEFFREY BROWN: Laureate, you were writing a column, doing various things. So what did these poems represent for you?
ROBERT HASS: Well, I don't know what they represented, but they were a way of checking in with myself, inside that life, that is, I could be -- you know, I could be on a train heading from New York to some place in New Jersey, and see the lights burning out over the grasslands, and say to myself, "Secret, there's fire out over the grasslands."
It was a way of -- if lines came to me, it was like checking in with myself. "You still there?" "Yes, I'm still there."
JEFFREY BROWN: Checking in with yourself while you're living this public life, talking up poetry to the world.
ROBERT HASS: Yes. Yes.
The problem of describing trees
JEFFREY BROWN: There's a poem early on here that maybe you could read for us, because it gets at a lot of different themes that you write about. Could you read that for us? It's called "The Problem of Describing Trees."
ROBERT HASS: "The Problem of Describing Trees." So I think another thing that happened because of this distraction hiatus is that, when you return to the materials of the art, there's a thing of, what kind of an instrument is this that you were doing?
JEFFREY BROWN: Poetry?
ROBERT HASS: Yes, what are you doing with it? So this is "The Problem of Describing Trees."
The aspen glitters in the wind.
And that delights us.
The leaf flutters, turning,
Because that motion in the heat of August
Protects its cells from drying out. Likewise the leaf
Of the cottonwood.
The gene pool threw up a wobbly stem
And the tree danced. No.
The tree capitalized.
No. There are limits to saying,
In language, what the tree did.
It is good sometimes for poetry to disenchant us.
Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will.
Mountains, sky,
The aspens doing something in the wind.
JEFFREY BROWN: Now, the line, "There are limits to saying in language what the tree did."
ROBERT HASS: Yes. Limits of saying anything
JEFFREY BROWN: By implication, there are limits to say anything.
ROBERT HASS: Yes. I mean, there are two ways of saying this -- or there are a million ways of saying this. One way is to say what Wittgenstein said, language philosophy in the early 20th century, "The limits of my language are the limits of my world," which I don't think is quite true.
And the other is to say what Ed Wilson, the environmentalist and entomologist, biogeographer said, which is that every species lives in its own sensory world and, at some point, it dawns on you that you just -- we don't have a language for what would be the experience of a tree or, for that matter, a fox or a robin. So...
JEFFREY BROWN: So much of your work is about trying to examine or describe things like that. And I think I can understand the problem of finding the right words or any words.
But what I am not sure I understand -- and maybe this is what distinguishes poets from the rest of us -- is, why the need to describe trees? What is the burden on you that you must come up with a way to describe the world?
ROBERT HASS: My mind goes straight to my dear friend and mentor, Czeslaw Milosz, who...
JEFFREY BROWN: Great poet.
ROBERT HASS: ... great poet, and he was born in Lithuania in 1911. And he lived through much of the worst violence of the 20th century in Europe. He lost so much that I know -- I came to understand about him.
One of his poems begins, "Reality, what is it in words?" I came to understand about him that he'd lost so much that he felt like everything he didn't get down -- if he didn't get it down, nothingness won, you know?
JEFFREY BROWN: If he didn't get it down into a poem...
ROBERT HASS: Yes, nothingness won. He had this sense that, if art doesn't somehow preserve our memory of the gift of life on Earth we've lost, so something like that.
On teaching and translating poetry
JEFFREY BROWN: Is that -- and you're well known as a translator of his works and others, a teacher and a poet. Is that how you have come through the years to see what the work of a poet is?
ROBERT HASS: Yes, it's somehow -- yes, I have to say, also, the work of teaching poetry. I feel like I get to pass onto people, you know, what Emily Dickinson said it was like to be alive on a winter afternoon in New England in the middle of the 19th century, you know?
I get to say there's a certain slant of light winter afternoons that oppresses, like Whitman's lines about summer grasses in New York State.
Yes, I do. I do have that feeling, that that's one of the things the art can do, is just say, "I was here. I was alive. Here's what it was like for me to be alive." It's a poem I've translated by Basho, the Japanese poet, that just -- a haiku that just goes, "Deep autumn, my neighbor. How does he live, I wonder?"
JEFFREY BROWN: "How does he live, I wonder?"
ROBERT HASS: "I wonder?" Terrific old poem that just ends with this interrogative in Japanese. And one of the places you can find an answer to that question is in poetry and in music and in art. It's where we say to each other, "This is what it's like to be alive."
JEFFREY BROWN: All right, Robert Hass, congratulations to you, and it's nice to talk to you again.
ROBERT HASS: Thanks. Thanks very much, Jeff. Nice to see you.
JUDY WOODRUFF: You can hear Robert Hass read more poems and ask him your own questions in our online Insider Forum by visiting our Web site at PBS.org.
Singing oneness!
