Thursday, May 14, 2015

Verisimilitude Versus Veracity


image from supermarkethq.com


Verisimilitude Versus Veracity

“We have done so much, for so long, with so little, now
we are qualified to do anything with nothing.”
--Konstantin Jirecek.

Regardless of our pitiful need to attempt
         control over chaos, we discover various guises
                    of antithesis at their duty stations reinforcing the
                             powerful parameters of personal white light within,
                    like capturing fireflies in a flesh Bell jar, like harnessing
          lethal U235 within the molecular skein of lead;

The omnipresent yelping Yahweh,
the reigning monarch of our universe within,    
acknowledges 
                                       the existence of opposing forces
                                  that assist in maintaining its axial status,
                           much like those invisible gravitational
                     bands of energy that prevent Earth from
             flying to pieces, & further allowing other planets
       in our universe to coexist, to share the space
while creating orbits, tides, balance & order.

We may believe
that if we can inhabit the eternal 
Now, we will

be free of
the antithetical, find peace with turbulence--but
what could be                                                                  further from the truth?
                   
                   Sure, we can manage living a lie
                   & actually be ignorant of its falseness,
                                 but the jack-booted storm troopers
                                 of spontaneous reckoning will march
                  into our sphere when least expected;
              we cannot successfully reside in a vacuum
         without a thorough understanding of the opposing
energies that allow it to happen.

          We are taught to live our lives, not
               toil in lethargic inactivity, spinning our appendages
                     statically in a home-grown quagmire.

                           Passion for living springs from need, fueled
                                 by depletion, misfortune, depression & 
                                          misguidance as we seem to notice
that which is broken
as we are propelled by
the
things that
still work, find
ourselves very attracted to
the sensual beauty of human form
while disregarding the darkness within its
heart, tend to honor the warriors who protect us
as we give less credibility to the pacifists among us that
advocate more peaceful paths; cursing at the complicated cloverleafs
that slow our volition, craving unrestricted spurts of speed
along sensuous straightaways.

Damn foolishness to some
is the breath of life to others;
for every tall person who feels superior
there are five more that just want to fit in;
deviate sexual behavior does not seem strange
to those who are drawn to it, seek it out;
listen to all voices in diverse Babel-tongues,
endeavoring to respect their views, but only
respond to those whose message resonates
with your own values.

Can there ever be
                 wisdom without ignorance,
                  beauty without ugliness,
                     hope without despair,
                     night without day,
                    clarity without distortion,
                   growth without sustenance,
                         joy without anguish,
             happiness without pain.
                  actions without consequences?

Hell, no--of course not,
so get a grip, because
unsolicited shit happens,
ready or not.


Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets MTB

Would you like to hear me read this poem?

21 comments:

Mary said...

Glenn, you have given some great examples! One person's joys are another person's sorrows, normal to one is abnormal to another! And so true, I think, that there is no happiness without pain... We humans really do thrive on opposites, I think.

Gabriella said...

I too like the 'list' in the question you ask at the end of your poem. The negative certainly makes us appreciate the positive. If we only had one side of the coin, I believe that life would feel pretty dull.

AnotherFearlessYear.net said...

This had a good flow to it. I could sense a rising intensity coming to a crescendo, and then resolve to accept that which is. Peace, Linda

KB said...

Glenn your poem has great breadth and depth. I like how you did not make your contrast so blatant, but wove them into and throughout the poem like flag gates on slolem course winding down to its bottom conclusion. >KB

vivinfrance said...

Your thorough and eloquent exploration of the theme makes this an exciting poem That said, your "can there ever be" stanza says everything that needs to be said!

brudberg said...

Indeed.. The contrast is so much needed.. Life consists of those borders.. And maybe we just oscillate like a pendulum - life itself are those contrast.. Great examples you bring forth without letting it be too obvious

Wolfsrosebud said...

" is the breath of life to others;
for every tall person who feels superior
there are five more that just want to fit in;"

... I wonder how superior they really are in their times of fragility and want... those five need to combined their efforts

Victoria said...

So much to consider in this, Glenn--but I love the last two stanzas. Great exclamation point to a well-penned poem.

C.C. said...

Love the alliteration in the title and the recognition that, "Damn foolishness to some
is the breath of life to others." Indeed!!

Katie Mia Frederick said...

Ah.. to bask in the sun of unsolicited STUFF in Life.. is to

FEEL now totAlly knowing STUFF of reaLity in trUth of dark.. with liGht sprinkled rain here and tHere...

i suppose GOD wants to enjoy ..a little a LOT of ALL.. and NONE of dark and light..

SO what better way.. than.. to evolve as humans TOO.. and bring in the dirt of night..

AND mold life in clay of passIonS in pieces of minds.. bodies in balance.. or NOT..

AND the RAGE OF NOW IN graceful harmony in roll coast tide...:)

lynn__ said...

A passionate commentary, as always, Glenn! I like how the final 2 stanzas wrap it up.

Dell Clover said...

This really spoke to me, and my current spiritual/emotional quandary--well done.

humbird said...

I appreciate your intelligent approach to theme, esp. 'understanding of the opposing energies' and how they work in the balance. It's really a science, doesn't it? philosophy for sure, and also sociology, psychology.... ~ Complete list on the topic!

Unknown said...

No contrasts, it All just gets to be blah. We learn to appreciate by those contrasts. If we never knew darkness, we'd never know light. Very intense and passionate piece. And at the end, truth: shit happens, move along.

De Jackson said...

MAN, I love that title. Also love the pull and flow and sway of this whole piece.

Debi Swim said...

I agree with Viv, "your "can there ever be" stanza says everything that needs to be said!" It can stand alone

kaykuala said...

We may believe
that if we can inhabit the eternal
Now, we will

Very powerful assertion here Glenn! Yes, it is a question of wanting to take the bull by the horn. Great analysis!

Hank

Marina Sofia said...

Phew, quite some commentary - yet the anger is tempered with humour and acceptance. A nice game of contrasts there, Glenn!

Anonymous said...

I am grateful to listen to your reading, Glenn. So much wisdom, line by line coming to a head in what almost sounds like a fiery pulpit sermon, followed of course, by a crass response from the parishioners. This is how life is. Perfect capture.

Kathy Reed said...

It's great reading, but hearing it is another experience. Amen to all of the scenes of the play and bravo for the closing scene...life is such a conundrum; just when it all seems to make sense, something upsets the apple cart and we learn again we are stuck with finding a way to maintain an even keel.

grapeling said...

yep - ready or not, here it comes! ~