50/50
We’re a miracle.
Breath and all
that. Touch
and all that.
Pilgrim song.
From a life
to alive,
a crossing.
Stay safe among the poets.
They know not of their
strength. Their moods control the
weather but they’ve never controlled
their moods. The meteors that streak
the sky should give scientists
their blasted names.
This time of year, one forgets the
many lives of shadow. How it sulks.
Crippling a room, a mind. Making
godshapes, rest.
Here, in the corner
I’m Marlon Brando.
Half shadow, half life!
I’ve been reflecting on things that wield great authority and strength within our society — grappling with the question of whether power is sought or given. In this case, I call out religion, poetry and science as just a few of the usual suspects. It’s a poem that humbles in the face of questions and, as usual, takes the side of the Earth.
Every time I write about shadows I think about In Praise of Shadows by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. It’s a beautiful meditation on the aesthetics of shadow, the traditions that keep shadow alive and the importance shadows plays in Japanese culture.
The last image is simply a reference to the classic Brando scene in Apocalypse Now. A beautiful visual representation of contrast and balance.