Our Strange World
The blind can hear
And the deaf can see
Thieves prosper
While the virtuous suffer
The short reach heights
While the tall sink low
The beautiful appear despondent
While the unlovely look radiant
The lame would go far
While the able stagnate
The World which seems paradoxical,
in reality may not be so farcical.
For the basis may be concealed,
just waiting to be revealed.
This we shall never know,
for to reveal to friend or foe,
as much our brains we may rack,
to tell us, the dead never come back
Mahen, You have echoed the musings of every thinking being, and the likelihood of there being much more to "Our Strange World" than we can figure out with our limited abilities.
ReplyDeleteIsaac Newton said, "what we know is a drop, and what we don't know is an ocean ", and no other than Socrates said " Awareness of ignorance is the beginning of Wisdom".
Thank you for your fine poem.
Thanks Rohini. May be we could discuss consciousness, morality, "Free will", altruism and other interesting topics! I am sure you wonder, ponder, ruminate and contemplate on these exciting and intriguing topics!
ReplyDeleteYes Mahen, I'd love to discuss all of these if only you'd promise me more than 24 hours a day !
DeleteI think Zita initiated an interesting discussion about "free will" some time ago- I'd need to check back sometime.
I am so glad you have written these lines, Mahendra. To me too, this appears to be the utmost truth of life. Paradoxical, farcical, yes at first glance. But in a whole lifetime things often change. The final 'reward' or punishment is not what it seems at the start. I like Rohini's quotes from Newton and Socrates. I hope we'll hear more 'Pearls' from our other deep thinking batch mates. Zita
ReplyDeleteMahen
ReplyDeleteThank you for that thought provoking verse. You have rightly describd the world as we know it.
I am at present suffering from the lurgy which is doing the rounds. It has indeed laid me low not being able to think straight. My apologies for not being able to support your wonderful and thoughtful piece. As I see many of the fellow bloggers have latched on to its brilliance.
Thank you
Oh dear my friend! I am sure you will bounce back with even more vigour! As the Walrus said, "The time has come for another ND production". Zita and Roshini have made their usual thoughtful observations. Although at times I wonder whether posting on the Blog is a form of self-indulgence. I am heartened by the fact that many find them useful. All the best.
DeleteWith your permission, Mahendra, this is to Nihal. I hope you are over the 'lurgy' We always welcome your thoughts. You always come out with some valid point and every word you say makes some sense. Oh I am not trying to flatter you. I really mean it! I so look forward to your contributions and comments. Zita
DeleteMahendra, I keep turning up like a bad penny. Just that I asked around and got more opinions.These people in these categories may seem to be happy seem to be doing well, but it may be just a 'front' and real feelings are hidden from the public. Also 'the lame may go far' because they try harder than 'normal' ones. 'Beautiful' is only the opinion of the observer and their real state may be far from beautiful. But I agree,it still doesn't explain everything. Zita
ReplyDeleteZita, this state of happiness or unhappiness is very subjective and never absolute. Even patients with terminal cancer rate their level of satisfaction or quality of life way above what a normal person when asked to rate the QOL if they were to imagine being in that state. Hedonic adaptation is amazing!
DeleteI am back after a few days, Mahendra! I still don't feel we have reached the end of this subject. Now you talk of Quality of Life! That is really the crux of the matter. I believe that's what made you write this verse, fact that the 'quality of life' does not seem to reflect a person's disease and dying condition or his /her state of poverty he/she lives in. It could be paradoxically high in those very sort of people who suffer from such bad things. They are at peace with themselves and do not have unrealistic expectations, so, they are HAPPY! So finally I'll say, Thanks! What we should know it is not the actual state we are in that matters, but our ATTITUDE to it. Thanks! This is a good advice for all. Zita
DeleteMahendra and other batch matetes, this is Zita the bad penny! Can't keep my mouth shut! Mahendra, the last line on your verse, above, gave me food for thought on this sad day when I heard of Suren Iyer's death. 'The dead never come back'. This is a fact I have agonised over, during my life time. Death is so final! Not a word can be said after! No making up, no patching up, no recompense, is possible after, AS DEAD NEVER COME back!
ReplyDeleteSo appreciate each other now. Forgive now, talk now, forgive now! The dead never come back! Thanks Mahendra, for the reminder. Zita
All good experiences and bad ones are subjective and dependant on how we perceive things. The tramp who picks up a £50 probably experiences the elation that a Millionaire does when he makes his next million, but the cost? If we condition ourselves to appreciate simple things, life will be more rewarding without the need to spend lots of money, acquire a of wealth or power. There are no absolutes for enjoyment and pleasure and no unified scale to measure. Quality of Life also is similar. It's all a matter of Perception.
ReplyDeleteDear Mahendra, I am getting more and more INTO this subject of the quality of life, Dead never come back and It's all a matter of Perception.
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to reflect on each of these. Quality of life is definitely subjective. Yes indeed the beggar may have a better quality of life than the millionaire as his expectations are less. And The Dead Never Come back! We know that too well. My brother who recently died, but didn't want to have me in his life, will never come back and it is one Black Hole in my life where he should be. And 'It's all a matter of Perception' is a corollary to the Quality of Life being directly proportional to your attitude to life. Happy with little or Nothing can satisfy. Yes these are all things we should be reminded of from time to time. So thanks for this discussion. It really helped me!
Zita