© Steve King 2012
All rights reserved
So many ways they find to ogle their occult,
while there are closer shadows,
darker places to explore.
This artificial slice of night,
that gives no pause
nor time for rest or cure—
it is wide-eyed dreaming
and they are all up-looking,
outward and away.
What do they claim or hope to claim,
with the mirrors of their eyes?
It is still imagination,
this science of theirs,
more art than they would say:
fixing eyes upon extinguished stars,
searching for the certain fire-god
in beckoning vacuum,
a now indifferent Shiva
cutting loose all hell,
many arms weaving merry ends
to a posited fabric of creation.
They ply the universal,
infinity their unit of regard,
squeezing inferences
out from nothing,
next to nothing,
indeed, the very ƒ{unction} of a nothing.
How they do define us in that nothing:
from the fire did we arise;
unto flames will we thus be consigned—
all to cinders,
ash to ash,
the way it always was
in the old books.
How they do define us,
All rights reserved
So many ways they find to ogle their occult,
while there are closer shadows,
darker places to explore.
This artificial slice of night,
that gives no pause
nor time for rest or cure—
it is wide-eyed dreaming
and they are all up-looking,
outward and away.
What do they claim or hope to claim,
with the mirrors of their eyes?
It is still imagination,
this science of theirs,
more art than they would say:
fixing eyes upon extinguished stars,
searching for the certain fire-god
in beckoning vacuum,
a now indifferent Shiva
cutting loose all hell,
many arms weaving merry ends
to a posited fabric of creation.
They ply the universal,
infinity their unit of regard,
squeezing inferences
out from nothing,
next to nothing,
indeed, the very ƒ{unction} of a nothing.
How they do define us in that nothing:
from the fire did we arise;
unto flames will we thus be consigned—
all to cinders,
ash to ash,
the way it always was
in the old books.
How they do define us,
they who are agnostic
to all outcomes.
What do they see,
or hope to see,
in the mirror of the sky?
to all outcomes.
What do they see,
or hope to see,
in the mirror of the sky?
I like the sky as a mirror... powerful, Steve. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThis is an exquisite piece of poetry. I love the possibilities presented by the graphic, but you have gone above and beyond in your interpretation. The science v religion debate will continue to fascinate, and I thought your second stanza particularly fine in this regard.
ReplyDeleteThe last two stanzas are particularly lovely, the questions give pause and reflection ~
ReplyDeleteNice to see you Steve ~
Happy New Year ~
I love ash to ash,the way it always was
ReplyDeletein the old books....and the mirror of the sky. Happy New Year, Steve. I hope this new year brings you much happiness.
Exquisite writing, Steve.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
This is rich, thought-provoking, beautifully expressed. K.
ReplyDeletethis works really well for the end of the year ruminations....what do they see, what do they hope to see...those that see us and all as nothing...is it something or what then?
ReplyDeleteThis seems to reflect on so many beliefs and how they guide each person's perception of how they view the universe. Especially like your pondering in S3 and S5:
ReplyDelete"squeezing inferences
out from nothing,"
"How they do define us,
they who are agnostic
to all outcomes..."
This definitely reads well in the wake of the recent Mayan calendar predictions. Who are we but sentient bits of dust in the Universal scheme of things. For me the saddest is those who hold to no beliefs at all. Rich in imagery and wonderfully penned, my friend!
Missed you last week. Happy new year to you and yours :-)
infinity their unit of regard... love that... love the ponderings here, indeed, a mirror.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ginny...there is a lot to read in this. For me, it brought to mind the on-going debate between science and faith which I don't see as a debate but a convergence of view. Happy New Year, Steve.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the premise of this--and in terms of execution, your work is outstanding--particularly the last 2 stanzas--beautifully done Steve
ReplyDeleteI may have it wrong, but I read this through the filter of my own feeling that science is not so scientific as scientists would like to believe. Sometimes I think our intellects blind us to sense and really neither side is close to knowing what is real.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I intended here. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteYeah that is surely true, many believe all science to be true, until later they find out they were wrong and then wrong again and so on.
ReplyDeleteFaith, science...always at odds...it seems, and sometimes I do think the science shoe is made to fit even if it doesn't always make a comfortable one. This is a beautifully executed poem...wondered what the parenthetical Greek word meant in 4th stanza...Great stuff, Steve!
ReplyDeleteThe word with the parens is just a send-up of the mathematical abbreviation of the term 'function,' which is important in calculus and algebra. In all of this, I"m focusing more on the science than the faith. Thanks for reading and commenting, Jackie.
Deletethe momentary night is evocative
ReplyDeleteand the faces turned to see
very intersting... and paticularly
ReplyDeleteHow they do define us,
they who are agnostic
to all outcomes.
What do they see,
or hope to see,
in the mirror of the sky?
Agnostic to all outcomes- meaning (to me anyway, and im sorry if i get this wrong!) that those who are blinkered by one perspective, those who think there will only be one outcome, are just that blinkered. So maybe this poem is suggesting that religion, including science, if it is held as the be all and end all, actually misses a trick (a perspective i happen to believe in!...enjoyed the traditional poetic tone you gave this, resally suited the theme
fine, heavy writing with such depth. I find faith, belief and science can all create boxes of limitation and shade. The mirrored eyes and sky are particularly telling here, and to pick just a few of my favourite lines - "They ply the universal,
ReplyDeleteinfinity their unit of regard," and "indeed, the very ƒ(unction) of a nothing". The second stanza and close are also favourites of mine, but the whole thing is so good!
I love "they who are agnostic to all outcomes. A very riveting take on science and religion, to me all placed precariously on the same line that sooner than later laps itself and starts all over, maybe dolled up a bit....but when midnight comes, the bareness is exposed once again. Great writing.
ReplyDelete