And on those night-daze,
When grappling demons
From blurred perceptions
To black horizon,
When objectivity
Is a hypothetical concept
Sucked into a vortex
Of self loathing,
When despondent failure
Lurks ominously overhead
Like foreshadowed
Conclusions of doom,
When pathos paints and taints
Every invective,
Pummeling the writhing spirit
Of hubris conceded,
When mental crucifixion
Of a soul defeated
Becomes naked inconsequentiality
On distant and vacant shores
Enmeshed with grief,
Shunted by disbelief,
Failing to pass scrutiny and
Due diligence of the heart,
Choose life
Author notes
Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, at an arm's length. It has always been watching you. It always will, until the day it taps you.
The thing to do when you're impatient is ... to turn to your left and ask advice from your death. An immense amount of pettiness is dropped if your death makes a gesture to you, or if you catch a glimpse of it, or if you just catch the feeling that your companion is there watching you.
~ Carlos Castaneda
I read this passage by Carlos Castaneda, and it took my poetic imagination down the dark and lonely road of despair that most of us have traveled at some stage throughout our lives. Although most of us (I would like to think) do not take the left turn to self demise, some do. For the most part good and bad are retrospective evaluations and in the final analysis are just that; evaluations. Death, notwithstanding your beliefs about what transpires on the “other side”, has a rather permanent feel to it and those who choose this option, I’m sure would have a change of heart given a second chance. Every day we are assailed with mind numbing examples of human suffering where the will to live and overcome obstacles defy everything we assume about life and death. My poetic spin on our trials and tribulations is, choose life.
In a list
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 18 of 18
-
Excellent write here
Yes I am a very happy go lucky person and the type that laughs at my self through gains and failures.I found in life so what if you make a mistake learn from it dont beat yourself up over it take it and know this you will never do again and chuckle. I see life with a spark of light always and so what if times w may lose all we have . I see it as well its less to move and brings me the opertunity to choose something new.
-
I return to this- because I always get something new and meaningful- it is always a different experience, as it is filtered through what is happening in the right now for me.
Still beautiful and thought provoking- and still very poignant.
My heart is hurting- but my soul finds freedom in your words.
As ever-Good stuff, Henri
x -
Hi Henri,
I haven't read any Castaneda in years. I read all his books in my early 20's, as is usually the case. i.e., the most expansive years. It didn't matter to me that most of his words were penned while tripping on peyote. That just made it all the more exotic and fascinating, and he never failed to get my mind racing about all the untapped possibilities there are in our mind and around us.
I remember Joseph Campbell saying something similar about accepting or acknowledging death to take away it's power, about becoming friends with it so that one can live fearlessly without that imagined force pressing down all the time. I had a friend who even dug his own grave and laid in it. I thought that was taking it a little too far but to each his own. haha
Anyway, I like your simple yet profound spin on the whole issue. Just choose life. When the Grim Reaper points his finger at me, I'll kick him in his boney ass and go live some more. Wait a minute. That's in the fighting it category, isn't it? I'll just take him by the same finger and show him my favorite beach or something. Maybe that will lighten him up a little. He must get some serious job burnout snatching people's souls out of their bodies for a living.
Nice work, my friend. It's always good medicine to read your words. Thanks.
Mark
-
Henri
It's been a long time. Reading both your poem and the passage you quoted gives me much to think about. I am continuously, I believe, talking to whatever there is to my left, sometimes right, above, behind. It depends on the day, and the moment.
When we write poetry, we are trying to express just exactly we see before it runs away.
Maybe it is a piece of our heart that is running and hiding. On some days it is easier to catch it before there is nothing left to see or do.
I like the sounds of this poem.
Hope all is well with you,
Maria -
I come to read your poetry, yet no matter how great I think it to be, I'm always left thinking when I stumble across your author note....
Yes, I may be speachless for a moment or two....
And that's only because you caused me to think longer than I wanted to, lol....
As always excellent poetry!
~Kimberly~
-
Ah Henri!
Typical social scientist in your assessments, yet deeply spiritual and compassionate in your task as healer, setting prognosis and plan of action. You stay one of my favorite poets on this website. We all struggle often with deep and agonizing feelings in a life of turmoil. YET: Life IS the answer!
A poem on the meta-therapeutic level. Well done. A very successful simulation of how self-destructive the mind may become, without hope and faith as merciful anchors.
Hope you are doing fine, my friend.
Love
Myra
-
Castaneda and Crowley both sought to walk the path to immortality through inner transmutation. The first was less overt (pretending to be more charming and captivating) concerning the stops he preferred to make along the way than the latter, who boasted on being the most evil spirit on earth (which was a claim that was quite correct). He continued to assassinate after his death, proving the point he made during his life by killing the seven year old son of Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) who together with Jimmy Page bought Crowley's mansion Boleskine near the shores of Loch Ness. The conclusion you draw from this to choose life in view of the reason that incited you to write this poem brings into perspective the immoral acuity of spirits obeying the gods of the earth. Life as a prelude to immortality in higher realms is the choice of the aware, regardless of the hardship they are destined to endure before the dance with death comes to a conclusion. Thank you for creating and sharing. I enjoyed pondering on your thought provoking poetical effort. Take care,
U -
Ah Henri...welcome back.
Amazing piece. "mental crucifixion" Perfect wording I think for that though process we go through as despair overtakes us.
Your author comments made me smile. I was reading the first line and thinking..."ive read this before" Yes...Carlos Castandeda! I can't recall the last person I talked to who knew who he was.
Hugs from the desert Henri!
Mary Ann
-
Henri, your poetry always makes me smile, without exception :-). For the most part, your words have always conveyed incredible optimism and insight. This particular poem no exception. Your poetic voice comes across as experienced and confident, penetrative and inspirational, and the essence of your message delivered with clarity and conviction. I only have one complaint, that you don't post enough poetry on here.
Much respect Poet,
Sonia XX -
Powerful, Thoughtful, Beautifully Written
It's been a long time, mate... and well worth the wait. It always amazes me the way Death can (and so often does) put our lives in perspective. I have smiled at Death, and He smiled back- which (excuse my lack of poetry here) scared the shit right out of me, but more than that, it gave me a will to live that I hadn't realized I possessed. The shadow of Death is there to remind us that there is always a choice- ALWAYS. We cannot always see it clearly- but it is always there.
Your vocabularly alone makes my knees go wobbly Ferg-always has. I could lose myself in the way you string words together. How you capture the depth of emotion in full colour and with so much soul is something I'd love to know.
I might have chosen a favourite stanza, but each time I tried, the next one stole my attention.
Cheers for the author's notes as well- I do enjoy hearing about inspiration and what motivates a brilliant mind to write.
Where've you been hiding yourself these days?
x
Tilly
-
It says it all if you were where I stood in an aids orphanage in Botswana, but I doubt if I asked it would do no more than laugh in my face here, all the children here would choose life if they were given a choice by the world at large..just been a tough week in opening my eyes. Love, C
-
Amazing. Really good. Me like ^^
and the picture... aw such good work, keep it up
-
Not all
Most would . But when the mind is in torment not all. Sad how we just allow those in deep depression to suffer with understanding why. This I know first hand. Great write. Choose life..but??
-
wow
Enmeshed with grief
Shunted by disbelief
Failing to pass scrutiny and
Due diligence of the heart
Choose life
I really like the ending it sad yet it so very true. it turn my feeling into a mix and understanding it better not to sweat the small stuff. Very well wrote. Great job -
a very good write with the best advice i have heard in a very long time. thank you for sharing this with me. viyanna rosemarie
-
Brilliant
A brilliant write....
This is one of the most powerful pieces I have been privileged to read...
Your views and depth of emotions are simply outstanding.....
Thank you so much for sharing
-
Although death wasnt an option for me now...I think this piece really applied to my mood for the evening. You captured something. It's beautiful.
-
Damn
This is powerful and deep. I have definately been there more than once myself. Well put together as usual.
Adding your comment:
1 - 18 of 18
