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WHERE DOES REALITY COME FROM

"Where does reality come from,"
the title of a book of philosophy by Arne Naess.

Reality,
is it,
was it ever,
can it be,
or is it illusion,
who really knows what it is,
and why is it that we ask?

We question
the existence of existence,
so to speak,
we speak it,
it is when we speak
we hear it's voice,
it's creed.

We need to know,
but why?

What is there we can do with it?
Is there anything we can do with it?
No.

It is,
like all else that is,
reality,
not cageable,
not able to be led,
not able to lead,
just made of air,
or what?

Style / type: 
Free verse
Last few words: 
Okay Jess I lopped it. Interested that you were interested, Its something that is nothing, and we have fun, as you say discussing the somethings and the nothings of it all. So why spoil it. :) Ann.
Editing stage: 

Comments

I totally loved the poem until

"OR WHAT?
Those philosophers
they question the questions,
and find themselves chasing their own tails.
OR WHAT?

THAT'S WHAT in my huuuummmble ooOopinion."

I thought the question you "ended" with was a more powerful, stronger conclusion than this, which is like an excuse for your thoughts.

:)

No verse is free for the man who wants to do a good job. - TS Eliot

http://www.wsgeorge.com/

I have made it clearer the fact that the last bit was afterthought and nothing to do with the poem-I had a tiny row of stars, but now a long row to showwhat I meant, the other should have been left out probably!

Glad you enjoyed it, always a moot point existence.

AnnW.

"The image of yourself which you see in a mirror Is dead,
but the reflection of the moon on water, lives." Kenzan.

author comment

Loved this piece it is a wander into that place we are, or may not be.
We are as you know a loose gathering of atoms wandering around forming words to communicate and sending out feelings, this mshell we reside in with many thousands of bacteria and other strange creatures.
Yet we shine through the shell to journey on as a chrysalid until that day when we become free as a butterfly emerging.
We carry scars on our shell, but those we carry inside should be our goal to heal.
Life is that perpetual spark of energy that is thousands of years old, passed on through our own seed and our own ability to choose.
If we don't have children here to make a body for another energy pattern then we have the next time.
You have a lovely life, and a Happy New year to you, Our Lady of the North.
Yours as always Ian.T xx

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

Thank you Ian, yes to most of your comment, but we don't know all.

Have a good year all of you, Love Ann

"The image of yourself which you see in a mirror Is dead,
but the reflection of the moon on water, lives." Kenzan.

author comment

And, if I am not being too critical here, a tad bit vague. But, then again, that could be because of the subject matter, in which case, you are spot on! Existence, or Reality, either description, is vague in and of itself, so anything written about it can hardly be more or less! Hmm. my reality seems to be rambling! LOL!!

Exactly Lonnie!!! :)

"The image of yourself which you see in a mirror Is dead,
but the reflection of the moon on water, lives." Kenzan.

author comment

it is intelligent and poses worthwhile questions.

I do think you might as well either delete everything after the line of stars or cop to them.

Philosophy is a strange old bird and civilisation as we know it, mostly for better, would not exist without it.

It's easy now to make fun of Socrate's "Perfect Forms" and other ideas of the ancients, however modern thinking could not have existed without them any more than without the words being invented to express them.

It's rather easier these days, since the Existentialist school of philosophy to say "it is, so it is, so fucking what?" And yet millions still subscribe to Buddhism (more a philosophy than a religion) which questions reality for a very precise reason- to prevent revolution by the disenfranchised. We no longer can separate philosophy from political thinking. That is a most important modern change.

For a basic reader in philosophical thought and development over the centuries I really can't go past "Sophie's World" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie%27s_World
It guides one gently through the history and meaning of philosophy. Come to think of it, never got my last copy back, am going to the Book Depository and re-order it right now~

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

Reality , being different things to different people, is by its very nature a vague thing. I think the variance is displayed most clearly in politics in which both sides are composed of people with good intentions but whose view of what actually IS is altered by their philosophy. BTW good poem.........stan

Just a quick word or three:-
Philosophy I shall think on the subject,
then say nothing,
but will just think,
Which says everything,
if you can listen.
Love you all, Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

remains a mistery dear Anna. I have nothing more to add to the above comments but want you to know the questioning itself always evokes something to ponder and that is always good, I believe.
Thanks for sharing dear.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

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

Please follow me on Instagram
https://instagram.com/poetry.jo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Thank you for the comments, I too love to ponder
the 'unponderable'( if that's a word- its underlined in red here!!!!)

There is much 'unponderable,' improbable, unexplainable,
all unable to be given a precise answer to, and we poets thrive
on them as possible word weavings, trying to catch the flies of
reality, or the onlookers that have something to add to the puzzles.

Love Ann.

"The image of yourself which you see in a mirror Is dead,
but the reflection of the moon on water, lives." Kenzan.

author comment

imponderable.
I also like ineffable.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

As aye Jess, yes, dead right,
my mind didn't think that far,
and I rather liked the oddity of the UN,
but it will have to go IN instead. :)

Ann Skaal!

"The image of yourself which you see in a mirror Is dead,
but the reflection of the moon on water, lives." Kenzan.

author comment
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