"Its harder to be yourself than it is to be anybody else" is one of my favorite lines from the band AJJ. 🫶🏻 Always struck me even as a kid and this is exactly why.
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which night and day tells you to be like everybody else" is the invisible challenge. I say invisible because we are socialized out of the womb and all of the data our fertile brain collects we eventually come under the false impression that is who we are. Jung's "Phantom Ego " Most people live the life of that imposter. Precious few have a reckoning, an awakening to the charade. Then the real battle for Truth begins, the battle of discernment. That is the battleground for the Poet.
"Almost anybody can learn to think or believe or know, but not a single human being can be taught to feel. Why? Because whenever you think or you believe or you know, you’re a lot of other people: but the moment you feel, you’re nobody-but-yourself."
This means so much to me. I may cut it out and put it on my wall. I may read it every day. I may forgive myself for the not enoughness of not enough hearts, too many unsubscribes, marketing mornings... I may just say, it's ok. Feel it all. Wrote your damn poems. They are asking to be written. Your soul is asking you to feel.
I love E E Cummings! There is a poem of his that a girlfriend of mine back in the day gave me. It's called 'olaf glad and big' (if I remember correctly) which is so fitting as far as the general meaning is concerned ... it makes me smile just to think about it.
Thank You for sharing! and many blessings!!!
oh, and thank you for the words about the difficulty of being a poet and being one self in a world where 'everybody wants you to be just like them ..." I find so much encouragement in these posts. and even though I have moments where I shun this life, the great master always lets me know that I'm not alone and gives me renewed strength to carry on. Thank You 4 that! And thank you for this community! When I get out of this mess I'm currently in I hope to contribute and share more of myself here.
"To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else—means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting" - this is exhausting. Fighting the world constantly and overcoming it - that is poetry, but it shouldn't be. It's miraculous when it should be the norm. These are not words of encouragement. These are a call to war. Bravery doesn't win out - luck does.
The Intellect thinks, the Instinct feels, the Intuition believes, the Inspiration inspires, the Imagination visualises, the Body acts, the Soul holds the question, the Will intends and is willing.
We think by feeling. What is there to know? Theodore Roethke (“The Waking”)
"Its harder to be yourself than it is to be anybody else" is one of my favorite lines from the band AJJ. 🫶🏻 Always struck me even as a kid and this is exactly why.
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which night and day tells you to be like everybody else" is the invisible challenge. I say invisible because we are socialized out of the womb and all of the data our fertile brain collects we eventually come under the false impression that is who we are. Jung's "Phantom Ego " Most people live the life of that imposter. Precious few have a reckoning, an awakening to the charade. Then the real battle for Truth begins, the battle of discernment. That is the battleground for the Poet.
To be oneself. A challenge!
"Almost anybody can learn to think or believe or know, but not a single human being can be taught to feel. Why? Because whenever you think or you believe or you know, you’re a lot of other people: but the moment you feel, you’re nobody-but-yourself."
This means so much to me. I may cut it out and put it on my wall. I may read it every day. I may forgive myself for the not enoughness of not enough hearts, too many unsubscribes, marketing mornings... I may just say, it's ok. Feel it all. Wrote your damn poems. They are asking to be written. Your soul is asking you to feel.
This is just so inspiring. The best thing I have read in WEEKS! Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant.
I love E E Cummings! There is a poem of his that a girlfriend of mine back in the day gave me. It's called 'olaf glad and big' (if I remember correctly) which is so fitting as far as the general meaning is concerned ... it makes me smile just to think about it.
Thank You for sharing! and many blessings!!!
oh, and thank you for the words about the difficulty of being a poet and being one self in a world where 'everybody wants you to be just like them ..." I find so much encouragement in these posts. and even though I have moments where I shun this life, the great master always lets me know that I'm not alone and gives me renewed strength to carry on. Thank You 4 that! And thank you for this community! When I get out of this mess I'm currently in I hope to contribute and share more of myself here.
I would prefer to write nothing than to parrot another.
Then let my silence be my voice.
- Joe Kidd, Michigan Beat Poet Laureate 2022-2024 -
I have no comment ( for once )
Perfection
"To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else—means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting" - this is exhausting. Fighting the world constantly and overcoming it - that is poetry, but it shouldn't be. It's miraculous when it should be the norm. These are not words of encouragement. These are a call to war. Bravery doesn't win out - luck does.
“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”
- William Wordsworth
Thank you for sharing. Hit my feed at just the right moment for me 🙏
“Feeling” is one way to put it. I think of it as finding your own voice.
EE baby..thanks
The Intellect thinks, the Instinct feels, the Intuition believes, the Inspiration inspires, the Imagination visualises, the Body acts, the Soul holds the question, the Will intends and is willing.