Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Creative Spot by Mahendra Gonsalkorale



He looks behind anxiously
His own shadow he sees
Panics and starts to run
Sweating profusely
He looks behind terrified
The shadow is still with him
He runs faster and faster

Thus the ignorant
Unaware of their own failings
Tread their unhappy way
Their folly never leaves them
Till Wisdom dawns
And the illuminating light

Dispels the shadow

13 comments:

  1. To have an insight into one's own failings is essential. I like the poem and its deep enduring philosophy. The image complements the poem superbly. Thank you

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  2. Profound and superbly illustrated-Thanks Mahen

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  3. Beautiful! Each time I read it I came up with a slightly different interpretation! Like Rohini, I loved the accompanying image.

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  4. My thanks to ND, Rohini, Indra and Srianee for their comments. The most beautiful thing about writing poetry is the satisfaction I get out of it and the sharing of this with fruends. I am waiting for Rohini's next one, but of course Prose can be used as powerfully as a Poem as ND has shown us many times.

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    1. Mahen, It might be a while before I get a chance to write in the blog as I have just commenced a locum for a colleague which is likely to keep me busy and out of mischief in the next 3 weeks! Absence of comments from me would not equate to non-appreciation of the posts.
      It is interesting that Manel connected the theme of your poem to Zen Buddhism.
      Ignorance has also been denounced in Hinduism (Lord Shiva in the famous Nataraja pose in fact is standing on the demon of ignorance), by Socrates,Confucius,and other philosophers, and comparatively recently by Carl Sagan who has written much which is very interesting on the subject.
      Your fine poem wraps it all up very cleverly.
      Shall try at least to have a little peek into the blog now and then!


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    2. erratum:
      Lord Shiva as Nataraja is "dancing" the "cosmic dance"-
      not "standing".

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  5. Beautiful and thought provoking speedy a very Zen buddhistic attitude towards life
    Manel

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  6. Manel, lovely to "see" you on the Blog! Hope to see more of you.

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  7. Rohini, I just saw your reply/comment. Thank you. I will have to do some reading to enlighten myself. I am discouraged by the ignorant people I encounter, who are so sure of themselves. They are spewing "alternative facts" and are incapable of listening to anyone else. Enjoy your locum assignment.

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  8. Lovely to see you on the blog Manel. I know you do visit the the blog but it is always nice to read a contribution or comment.

    I suppose I touched on an interesting topic when I spoke of "Ignorance". This has many meanings or interpretations as you know from a very narrow field, such as ignorance of rules regarding driving and alcohol levels to the philosophical level of ignotrance being not having or possessing "correct" or "right" knowledge about existential phenomena and life in a deeper sense. In the religious context, "true understanding" for one may be an expression of ignorance from another viewpoint. I would prefer to let the reader of my poem come to his/her own concusions on ignorance, realisation of ignorance and gaining of wisdom!

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  9. Thanks Mahendra! And sorry I have not been here for some days. What a beautiful composition and how cleverly observed. I take it as a metaphor for what happens in most of our lives. How true indeed. I have many a time run and the wisdom has dawned later when I saw the 'illuminating light'. You are up there with the great poets. Thanks again. from Zita

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  10. Glad you like it Zita and nice to see one of our regulars "back on the blog". The next step will be a contribution from you, always appreciated.

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