Monday 4 October 2010

Light verse

- the non-local mind spreads out beyond the brain - Dr Rupert Sheldrake

Scraping the last of my early bowl
of warmed-up grey matter
to the accompaniment of strong coffee
too early this dull day
slowly dawning with a grey light
the colour of the cooked quinoa
I find myself reflecting
on the lives of thin men,
men the colour of sunbrowned toast
now striding naked along the streets
of Indian cities or climbing the lonely paths
and passes of mountains with an energy
beyond conventional wisdom
and of men like Prahlad Jani
a light-footed dancer in flowing robes
a sprightly guru
who doesn't eat or drink
and hasn't done so for 60 years
and the battery
of tests and observations
that left the experts scratching
their knowledgeable heads in deep perplexity
and me my empty bowl
_
gw2010

8 comments:

  1. The Thin Man - what a great film! Harry Lime sugar free!

    Enjoyed this poem with its return to its roots at the finale.

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  2. Thank you Gordon. Pleased you enjoyed it.

    I haven't seen the Thin Man but I have seen The Third Man and no less than 3 times and on the so-called silver screen to boot. I know some of the locations but I've never had the desire to take the guided tour of the sewers where the finale plays out. Rats down there I think.

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  3. - the non-local mind spreads out beyond the brain - Dr Rupert Sheldrake

    This is the best quote I have ever seen! How else would the light have resembled cooked porridge to you, let alone left you scraping your empty bowl?!

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  4. Morning Jinksy, and thanks. Porridge is not like cornflakes. Summer has sadly departed. We shall down here in the valley of the shadow of fogs and deaths now cautiously enter the mellow and psychotic season. And try once there not to become too depressed by the sight of candles on graves and fallen chestnuts on marble and all the various coughs and sneezes and scary shivers. I'm one who thrives best, am energized, by blue skies, mountains, rivers and sparkling sunlight. The river plain all the day in mist I can ideally do without. But maybe the contrast is something too.

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  5. "I find myself reflecting
    on the lives of thin men".. I like those verses in isolation... they have a life by themselves...

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  6. Okay, but you'll have to pry my quinoa from my dead, lifeless hands...

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  7. Thank you Susan, this word quinoa is such a wonderful word I'm going to take it and substitute it for porridge. Mmm, looks deliciously grey.

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