Thanks, as am a poet/writer but didn't know much if anything of Lawrence's poems. Interesting how one can even perceive being "alone" because that is an anthropocentric self-definition, whereas, for example, Native/Indigenous Peoples speak of "All Our Relations" which includes Trees, Air, Birds, Moon, etc., which is what Lawrence experienced. "Alone" can be transformed via "All-One", which reminds of that relational interconnected-ness. That said, there are times when one can feel alone and in my experience it can feel wonderful and/or scary yet providing an opportunity for facing fears and feeling all-one again where there's nothing to fear.
Fascinating because have heard a Lakota friend mention some sort of dimension of energy where humans don't go. Am not doing his description justice but the gist to me is like one night when it was very cold and windy and i was at a harbor with the small area of sand and looking out at the water and i could barely stand there and i thought of how that place, that energy with all its natural wonder and with those conditions was not a place for humans to hang out, yet so vibrantly alive.
I loved the opportunity to direct a play “Dancing Naked in the Rain ”about the life of D.H. Lawrence. Not a widely publicized play but one that contained all of the elements of a creative life. It was a small 200 seat venue and the author did not have success with getting it to broadway. But it was one of my favorite moments in theatre.
I did not know about other ranch in Taos. Sounds like you’re off to a fun adventure. Writers share with us some of life’s joys but mostly they share their struggles, challenges and the never ending journey to fulfill their dreams. Their purpose appears to be touching the lives of others.
I love that two artistic heroes, DH Lawrence and George O’Keefe, had a relationship of sorts. Although O’Keefe never met him, she had great admiration for Lawrence and spent time at his property, Kiowa Ranch, and painted there.
They were both well acquainted with solitude — and alonenss — it was a part of their beings.
I used to live in New Mexico and miss it greatly. I remember the feel of the landscape, just as you’ve said - wide open, raw, arid. Often I long for more time alone, especially in nature. Lawrence makes some excellent points about being along in nature and what a special experience it is to just be AWARE of all that is happening in the natural world.
So true. There’s a little slippage between the English and American usages. Lawrence points to it above with his mention of the “American” word “lonesome“. It’s even more conspicuous when you consider a poem like Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” whose ending is miles away from the everyday American sense of loneliness/lonesomeness:
He can do no wrong, in any form. Love these poems. I can't wait to see when you post some of your photos and travels from Taos.
From The Princess, by DH:
"She wanted to look over the mountains into their secret heart. She wanted to descend to the cabin below the spruce trees, near the tarn of bright green water. She wanted to see the wild animals move about in their wild unconsciousness."
"She wanted warmth, protection, she wanted to be taken away from herself. And at the same time, perhaps more deeply than anything, she wanted to keep herself intact, intact, untouched, that no one should have any power over her, or rights to her."
“I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”
The "Delight of Being Alone" appears in a collection called "More Pansies." There are over 900 pages of poetry in The Complete Poems of D.H. Lawrence (Viking 1971). Alas, I believe he's a far better novelist (e.g., Sons and Lovers, Women in Love, Lady Chatterley's Lover).
I find his poetry so very relatable. Yes a great novelist for sure, totally agree. I am curious, because small minded bears ponder such things, and knowing that poetry is such a subjective thing, and we are as readers full of so many variables.........I am curious about why you feel the man of the novel is lesser as a poet...if there can be a comparison tween a novel and a poem..........what is a poem anyways.......sincere question Semit, not being a smarty pants...............
You're right that it's subjective, and I did start with "I believe" to acknowlege that, so the reason is that after reading (in 1972-74) almost everything the prolific D.H. Lawrence wrote, some of his novels were what I liked and remembered most, second some of his short stories, but not so much his poetry. Similarly, I love the Beatles, but not all of their songs.
You really ought to provide source information. I've searched Lawrence's Complete Poems and can't find these. Seeing them in context would be great. Thanks.
'All-one' is such a profound concept - all of us, if we have truly looked deeply into the 'fabric' of the universe, have understood at some level that all is indeed one - and separation is a construct (necessary to sustain normal life) enabling conscious reflection. In reality everything you are has been something else in the past or will be in the future. My feeling is that this is also true of the energy we give power to during our lives - and this explains why humanity as a species is becoming more and more capable of total global destruction. We breathe the spirit of all the good as well as all the evil that has been brought into the world throughout human history. That is how God as well as the Demonic each manifest.
Thanks, as am a poet/writer but didn't know much if anything of Lawrence's poems. Interesting how one can even perceive being "alone" because that is an anthropocentric self-definition, whereas, for example, Native/Indigenous Peoples speak of "All Our Relations" which includes Trees, Air, Birds, Moon, etc., which is what Lawrence experienced. "Alone" can be transformed via "All-One", which reminds of that relational interconnected-ness. That said, there are times when one can feel alone and in my experience it can feel wonderful and/or scary yet providing an opportunity for facing fears and feeling all-one again where there's nothing to fear.
There's a saying, "God is in the place where no one is."
You gave a good description of the contrast between these two states, All-One, and Alone. It's like stepping between worlds.
Fascinating because have heard a Lakota friend mention some sort of dimension of energy where humans don't go. Am not doing his description justice but the gist to me is like one night when it was very cold and windy and i was at a harbor with the small area of sand and looking out at the water and i could barely stand there and i thought of how that place, that energy with all its natural wonder and with those conditions was not a place for humans to hang out, yet so vibrantly alive.
An amazing experience, and very interesting thought.
Thx for appreciating.
I quite relate to it, because some of the most important experiences of my life happened while camping alone in a forest and on an uninhabited island.
Sounds courageous, and, yes, those experiences can test the alone (freak out) and/or induce the all-one (bliss :)
I loved the opportunity to direct a play “Dancing Naked in the Rain ”about the life of D.H. Lawrence. Not a widely publicized play but one that contained all of the elements of a creative life. It was a small 200 seat venue and the author did not have success with getting it to broadway. But it was one of my favorite moments in theatre.
I did not know about other ranch in Taos. Sounds like you’re off to a fun adventure. Writers share with us some of life’s joys but mostly they share their struggles, challenges and the never ending journey to fulfill their dreams. Their purpose appears to be touching the lives of others.
https://youtu.be/wQq2xOs2BYU
“The Lawrence Tree”,
Georgia O’Keeffe
Kiowa Ranch, 1929
I love that two artistic heroes, DH Lawrence and George O’Keefe, had a relationship of sorts. Although O’Keefe never met him, she had great admiration for Lawrence and spent time at his property, Kiowa Ranch, and painted there.
They were both well acquainted with solitude — and alonenss — it was a part of their beings.
I used to live in New Mexico and miss it greatly. I remember the feel of the landscape, just as you’ve said - wide open, raw, arid. Often I long for more time alone, especially in nature. Lawrence makes some excellent points about being along in nature and what a special experience it is to just be AWARE of all that is happening in the natural world.
"a man of sorrows acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:2, referring to Jesus, so theologians tell us) can apparently also be a miracle-worker.
Was in Taos in 1998 to stay in an Earthship, learn about them, and visit the houses made of empty beer-cans. Great place.
Hey Eric, If you happen through Albuquerque it would be good to see you. I always have an extra guest room available.
Solitude and Loneliness are two different things. If being alone is a choice then it's great for the soul but loneliness destroys the soul.
"Language created 'loneliness' to express the pain of being alone and 'solitude' to express the glory of being alone."
- Paul Tillich
So true. There’s a little slippage between the English and American usages. Lawrence points to it above with his mention of the “American” word “lonesome“. It’s even more conspicuous when you consider a poem like Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” whose ending is miles away from the everyday American sense of loneliness/lonesomeness:
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
He can do no wrong, in any form. Love these poems. I can't wait to see when you post some of your photos and travels from Taos.
From The Princess, by DH:
"She wanted to look over the mountains into their secret heart. She wanted to descend to the cabin below the spruce trees, near the tarn of bright green water. She wanted to see the wild animals move about in their wild unconsciousness."
"She wanted warmth, protection, she wanted to be taken away from herself. And at the same time, perhaps more deeply than anything, she wanted to keep herself intact, intact, untouched, that no one should have any power over her, or rights to her."
“I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”
- Henry David Thoreau
The "Delight of Being Alone" appears in a collection called "More Pansies." There are over 900 pages of poetry in The Complete Poems of D.H. Lawrence (Viking 1971). Alas, I believe he's a far better novelist (e.g., Sons and Lovers, Women in Love, Lady Chatterley's Lover).
I find his poetry so very relatable. Yes a great novelist for sure, totally agree. I am curious, because small minded bears ponder such things, and knowing that poetry is such a subjective thing, and we are as readers full of so many variables.........I am curious about why you feel the man of the novel is lesser as a poet...if there can be a comparison tween a novel and a poem..........what is a poem anyways.......sincere question Semit, not being a smarty pants...............
You're right that it's subjective, and I did start with "I believe" to acknowlege that, so the reason is that after reading (in 1972-74) almost everything the prolific D.H. Lawrence wrote, some of his novels were what I liked and remembered most, second some of his short stories, but not so much his poetry. Similarly, I love the Beatles, but not all of their songs.
Thank you. Wasn’t a dig in any way. Appreciate the thinking.
You really ought to provide source information. I've searched Lawrence's Complete Poems and can't find these. Seeing them in context would be great. Thanks.
They are all in his complete poems. I'm looking at them as I write this.
From "More Pansies," right?
OK, thanks.
Well I mean I could start inventing characters in my head however then I'd by crazy and lonely..haha
Alone with my thoughts...nothing better.
These words took my breath away.
no lie
thank you.
'All-one' is such a profound concept - all of us, if we have truly looked deeply into the 'fabric' of the universe, have understood at some level that all is indeed one - and separation is a construct (necessary to sustain normal life) enabling conscious reflection. In reality everything you are has been something else in the past or will be in the future. My feeling is that this is also true of the energy we give power to during our lives - and this explains why humanity as a species is becoming more and more capable of total global destruction. We breathe the spirit of all the good as well as all the evil that has been brought into the world throughout human history. That is how God as well as the Demonic each manifest.