Phenomenon

I am very ill right now, so my spirits and my creative functions, my cognitive and soulful functions in general, are at extremely low ebb – so not much productivity at the moment here at Image & Verse. It’s all I can to sit here and write this post.

I haven’t been able, for a number of days now, to effectively visit your blogs and read your posts, leaving my two cents worth — as I enjoy doing. However, I wanted to offer something today.

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One phenomenon of our current time jumps out at me as a true phenomenon… the Internet.

It has so much promise, but right now, it’s mired in a shallow, curious, juvenile phase — marked by an imbalance in prurient fascination… but it will expand to realize its potential as it, and those using it most, begin to mature.

Proof that it will grow in quality and integrity – Sunday Scribblings, Poetry Thursday, and like sites of soul and intellect.

The Internet may, in fact, someday prove to be the vehicle to help save the planet and its people – if we can keep those with political, profit, and right-wing fundamentalist agendas from impeding its freedom.

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Another phenomenon that I find interesting is the rise in the popularity of poetry — offering hope that we humans may one day be civilized. Here are a few thoughts of others regarding poetry.

“Poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen” Leonardo da Vinci

“Poetry is the music of the soul” Voltaire

“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.” Robert Frost

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” Robert Frost

“The people fancy they hate poetry, and they are all poets and mystics.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” Leonard Cohen

“Poetry is a phantom script telling how rainbows are made and why they go away.” Carl Sandburg

“Poetry can communicate before it is understood.” T.S. Eliot

“The best craftsmanship always leaves holes and gaps… so that something that is not in the poem can creep, crawl, flash or thunder in.” Dylan Thomas

“Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.” Edgar Allan Poe

“Poems for me always begin with images and rhythms, shapes, feelings, forms, dances in the back of my mind.” Gary Snyder

“It’s important that the words in your poems be those you could speak to your friends.” Robert Bly

“Poetry is close to madness.” Coleman Barks

“When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations.” John F. Kennedy

“Thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” Allen Ginsberg

24 thoughts on “Phenomenon”

  1. bravo.. i couldn’t have said it better myself.. this was excellent… i.m afraid to see how good you are when you are feeling better!!!!!

  2. First I HOPE you will be well VERY soon. I send you lots of positive wishes. Second I LOVED reading all these great quotes.
    rest, rest, rest… :))

  3. Gill

    I appreciate your kind words… thanks you! 😉

    They were quotes that resonated with my personal perspective on poetry.

  4. Gautami

    I hear you my friend.
    As I wrote in this post, I like the creativity of responsible science as well.

    Wish science of medicine could make me feel better right now… 😉

  5. Hey Rob if you post like that when you’re unwell – you’ll blow us away on a good day … as you usually do! Take care, be well soon!

  6. Red

    Thank you for your kind words and well wishes!

    I am indeed much better, and making trouble once again… 😉

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