Ode To Many

Ode To Many

What single thought make a man
What pivot lead him into the abyss
Or bring him to the precipice of great fortune
What twist of mind form the lay of his path

Be it false circumspect that fashion him to its intent
Sly treachery of thought influenced
Some subliminal wisp of mind
To subjugation bent

Or is it by dumb comfort that he forfeit choice
Stayed in stagnant repetition serving meager existence
Each acceptance heaped upon the pile
Dismissive of subconscious' inner voice

And once so struck is the path that bear him
Carved in bitter stone of unyielding fate
Or but reflection of errant perception
Formed ever and again in stepped solemn gait

For always is the journey within conceived
Yet played without, and so seek we therefore
Its meaning through mere reactions
And not of its true source, that believed

For in as much that we construe we err
Saying 'Tis thought which guides belief
Seeing not the one for the other true
And in this wise our doings repay despair

For if it be that we believe amiss
Is it not that which becomes our truth
Do we not seek its rewards as that our meat
Though hunger wonder to what gain is this

'Tween the wrong and the right stands but final choice to decide
Of what we learn, and as regards the real
Mere acceptance of what the physical may discern
Though the sensories suffer their own device

'Tis by our nature that we see ourselves as matter
Though naught but shell of energy cloaked
For nature is of perception spun
Which does not reveal the latter

So form we then this vision'd world of thought
And upon this ruse we rise or fall
Knowing not the means of our deliberations
Nor the living force from which it's wrought

But spend our all in vain upon the brazen beam
Till languor'd want succor our lot
And ne'er behold the meager splinter
Whereby our labors are redeemed

For so be it that the path at close parallel is harder left
Than the one set at rights
And yet 'tis also met that the dauntless heart
Remain unvanquished and not wholly bereft

For yet may life realize the vision of eager youth
Though long the road of midlife unresolved
Through seeming timeless years of savage anguish spent
And in its own sequestered time reveal the finer truth

So to this end the vagrant soul contend
Its resolute soliloquy in lonely torment sing
And cry out Yet my spirit find its peace
Against the stony face of its own futility

And by herald of some fissure in that steadfast seamless wall
That bleed through with the simple light of hope
What green meadow revealed to shadowed sight
Upon which sweet beams doth fall

For within the pages of this living volume is revealed
That measure which proves the better of human endeavor
And so sings within a myriad of souls
Some in full flower and others repose
Yet all traverse as one this single path of giving
Of sharing, laughing, learning, living

So forfeit we our thoughts repressive bound
And join that enharmonic host
Wherein inspiration lift the soul
Through shared truth's insight found

For it is in freely giving that we receive the most
As in freely receiving that we give the most
And from this fount shall I drink my content
That it shall set my feet aright
And bring me surely
From this paced hollow chamber
Of my long recluse



© 2008 Michael Kerry

My appreciation to Ruth Lull for image use of her painting 'Forest Path'.
http://www.ruthlullartist.com/

Flute: Harleynanda

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• harleynanda
• poetry
• original
• ode
• recitation

[sherrylynn70]

What a wonderful introduction to a new friend here...your words touch the soul in those very deep places, kind sir...The gentle flute and the lovely painting complete it. I remain amazed how our spirits are connected through the music and the matters of our hearts..It truly is a small world. I am thankful we have met this day..Thank you for your time sharing your heart and soul.

[harleynanda]

@sherrylynn70

And so nice to meet you too Sherry, my new friend. Thank you kindly for these warm words of greeting and comment. I'm glad the piece resonated, and so deeply. I agree with you; however diverse our eyes and minds may be, through the heart Spirit speaks the same tongue. The use of the painting was a kind gift from the artist, and her credit and website are listed in the information drop-window.

[PoetLina]

Superb delivery, like one between scenes backstage at The Globe.

What a piece of work!

[harleynanda]

@PoetLina Thank you for your revisit and kind comments, Lina. That is a wonderful thought. Even to be a fly on the wall backstage during a presentation or rehearsal of the Royal Shakespeare Co would be an inspirational treat. I visited Stratford Upon Avon in '94, but it was only a day trip with no time allowed, even had there been any workshops or the like available that day. A wonderful place, though; the very air ...

[harleynanda]

(cont'd) ... instilled with an ambiance of literary legacy. I'm afraid the new Globe wasn't constructed when I was in London on that trip.

[ambervisions]

I love this! When I hear your flute playing.....it makes me want to learn to play all the more! Lovely my friend! :D

[harleynanda]

Welcome back, lady. I'm glad you enjoyed the few bars of flute. You should learn to play, when you have the time. When I was studying, it was my principle instrument; one of the more sensuous and expressive of the wind instruments. Fair warning...initial practice should be gradual and focused on embochure until you have good tonal control and a clear, resonant tone. Otherwise, you can get dizzy as hell. lol

[ambervisions]

Yes....I have experienced that dizziness! LOL I was trying to play a song for the girls...ummm...yeah. I need some lessons! Thank you for sharing your beautiful music!!!!!!!! :D

[harleynanda]

Hmmmm. Succinctly put. Sounds like the very thought with which I began this. The trick then is in knowing that it is we who determind the shit, and then on to the realization of why. Thank you for both your comment and your audience.

[harleynanda]

Hello Cheri, my beautiful friend. Thank you for stopping by and for your many kind remarks. I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm glad this rings with a touch of familiarity. It is too seldom that when we feel we have isolated ourselves we realize that we all have these things in common, though for some fortunate ones it is measured as little more than a capacity yet untouched by necessity. Yet, all who make that journey through the self reap so much benefit when they see it through.