"To see life as a poem and yourself participating in that poem is what the myth does for you." - from Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers, p.55I do in fact live my life as a myth...
Joe was passionate about the myth of the Hero. He felt that only that kind of risk could lead to bliss. Being a Hero in the mythological sense is naturally risky, leads into uncharted territory. Often you don't get company on your journey either because most people (and quite often rightly so) just don't get what you are doing, let alone why they should participate.
Taking the chance, you don't always win, not even in the end. If that risk wasn't there it would not be a Hero's journey. Even if you lose, if you take the risk your life will be worthy of poesy.
Suffering
My back is shattered
in that one specific place,
my marrow's leaking
and I fear dying
while that nerve trunk flames with pain
and nightly I moan
as I rest twisted
in the only position
left to me these days.
They said this price comes
of once loving you, loving
your naked body.
I ask myself if
I'd love you over again,
and keep my answer.
December 10, 2009 11:00 AM
To be straight up - this is an allegory. :D Can't catch me! I'm running faster than that!
It's a lovely poem Christopher. A refreshing change since upon reading just the title (which is typically all I read before I comment) it pinged the saying "life's a poem, then you die"
ReplyDeleteYou poem has a good message though. It's very important to love yourself. It's just my bishop tells me I shouldn't LOVE love myself, or at least not practice the act of it.
And so that's why I lie to him.
whoooooooo
ReplyDeletelying's a sin!
he lied to me first by implying he never chokes his chicken. What was I supposed to do Chris? the first time I admitted it, I wasn't allowed to go to the temple with all the other people on our church trip.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is their standard. What's the point of having someone claim they don't do something that we all know that people do.
I was was tempted to observe which hand he used as his mouse hand, then point out that I'd bet dollars to donuts his uses his other hand. But I am already walking a fine line between keeping my membership and excommunication.
There is no way I will ever do anything to get excommunicated while my mother is alive. I don't think my heart could take her look of disappointment (nor my body her ass kicking)