I'm reflecting on the very end of the Steven Spielberg film, 'AI', where the extinct earth is visited by alien anthropologists who sit with a re-animated robot child while ruminating on the well-intentioned potential of the human species. And I despair at how utterly tragic it is that so much of our innate creativity is employed to destroy rather than ennoble. These days, even my inexhaustible optimism is daunted and dented. I've always--and still--believe there is more beauty and poetry than terror in the world. But when the headlines are suffused with the latter, I can't help but despair. For decades, I've circumvented a daily imbibing of the news and this has generally served me well. These days, such reportage feels as if it is suffusing the very air we breathe. But yes, yes, yes, the antidote must lie in consciously making and engaging fertile works of art to sooth and nurture our sentient souls. Yes.
You adventure yourself on dangerous lands with this statement. There is some truth in what you say about the importance of violence for our survival but saying that barbarity and beauty “aren't entirely separate things in themselves”…. Well, I believe I can see a bit of what you mean by that, but it still sounds as a risky statement to me
There is the risk that immature individuals reading it, to misinterpret the message as an encouragement to embrace darkness more than necessary. And hence they would see it an encouragement to violence perceived as a necessity
Good writers aren't here to appease "immature individuals" or the illiterate. They are here to reveal from their own depths regardless of the sentiments of the public. All great writing is dangerous.
Years ago in a poetry class, I learned of a poetess who fought in one of the Central American wars. Forgive me, but I can't remember her name. She carried her poems in her backpack along with her ammo and other necessities. Indeed, the poetry was her stability as well as her recorded self.
"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind" is where we have ended, here at the festering end of history. Hedges sums up the reason 20 veterans die every day from self-termination, & even Eisenhower in the end warned of the overwhelming corruption of industrial war. In the Gaza/Israeli bloodbath, always aware that someone made those bombs, rockets, assault weapons for profit. Our world is being dragged over the precipice by global organized criminals, Putin being the top dog currently... follow the chain Iran-Russia bent on terror & destroying "the West"...
:"But these words give me a balm to my grief, a momentary solace, a little understanding, as I stumble forward into the void."
Indeed, a balm to grief provides for momentary solace; feeling grief totally is healing. IT heals so that we automagically allow healing to ripple out to all around, like waves in a void.
At 81, I have yet to see one war that gave meaning to anything but misery, sadness, loss, grief, madness, greed, egoism, etc.
I'm reflecting on the very end of the Steven Spielberg film, 'AI', where the extinct earth is visited by alien anthropologists who sit with a re-animated robot child while ruminating on the well-intentioned potential of the human species. And I despair at how utterly tragic it is that so much of our innate creativity is employed to destroy rather than ennoble. These days, even my inexhaustible optimism is daunted and dented. I've always--and still--believe there is more beauty and poetry than terror in the world. But when the headlines are suffused with the latter, I can't help but despair. For decades, I've circumvented a daily imbibing of the news and this has generally served me well. These days, such reportage feels as if it is suffusing the very air we breathe. But yes, yes, yes, the antidote must lie in consciously making and engaging fertile works of art to sooth and nurture our sentient souls. Yes.
You adventure yourself on dangerous lands with this statement. There is some truth in what you say about the importance of violence for our survival but saying that barbarity and beauty “aren't entirely separate things in themselves”…. Well, I believe I can see a bit of what you mean by that, but it still sounds as a risky statement to me
As Bob Dylan once said: “Behind every beautiful thing, there's some kind of pain.”
There is the risk that immature individuals reading it, to misinterpret the message as an encouragement to embrace darkness more than necessary. And hence they would see it an encouragement to violence perceived as a necessity
Good writers aren't here to appease "immature individuals" or the illiterate. They are here to reveal from their own depths regardless of the sentiments of the public. All great writing is dangerous.
By no means, I wouldn’t encourage censoring such writings for they bring valuable insights on our human nature
Excellent. Reading classic writers makes all the difference for perspective.
The War Works Hard | Dunya Mikhail
How magnificent the war is!
How eager
and efficient!
Early in the morning
it wakes up the sirens
and dispatches ambulances
to various places
swings corpses through the air
rolls stretchers to the wounded
summons rain
from the eyes of mothers
digs into the earth
dislodging many things
from under the ruins...
Some are lifeless and glistening
others are pale and still throbbing...
It produces the most questions
in the minds of children
entertains the gods
by shooting fireworks and missiles
into the sky
sows mines in the fields
and reaps punctures and blisters
urges families to emigrate
stands beside the clergymen
as they curse the devil
(poor devil, he remains
with one hand in the searing fire)...
The war continues working, day and night.
It inspires tyrants
to deliver long speeches
awards medals to generals
and themes to poets
it contributes to the industry
of artificial limbs
provides food for flies
adds pages to the history books
achieves equality
between killer and killed
teaches lovers to write letters
accustoms young women to waiting
fills the newspapers
with articles and pictures
builds new houses
for the orphans
invigorates the coffin makers
gives grave diggers
a pat on the back
and paints a smile on the leader’s face.
It works with unparalleled diligence!
Yet no one gives it
a word of praise.
Sloan, I too am 81 and echo your anguish.
“Where do you turn in the midst of a world bent on self-annihilation, a world where lives are snuffed out at random?”
Most likely one would start praying, secretly hoping deep down, that someone will hear his/her prayers here on earth rather than there in heaven…
I was just about to pull down my Hedges today looking for his eloquent perspectives, you read my mind. Thanks for sharing, needed this.
Reading Shakespeare and Proust in the middle of war... hardcore
What a catechism.
Years ago in a poetry class, I learned of a poetess who fought in one of the Central American wars. Forgive me, but I can't remember her name. She carried her poems in her backpack along with her ammo and other necessities. Indeed, the poetry was her stability as well as her recorded self.
Chris Hedges wrote about the current situation in Israel and Gaza. Where will it all end? https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/palestinians-speak-the-language-of-violence-israel-taught-them
"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind" is where we have ended, here at the festering end of history. Hedges sums up the reason 20 veterans die every day from self-termination, & even Eisenhower in the end warned of the overwhelming corruption of industrial war. In the Gaza/Israeli bloodbath, always aware that someone made those bombs, rockets, assault weapons for profit. Our world is being dragged over the precipice by global organized criminals, Putin being the top dog currently... follow the chain Iran-Russia bent on terror & destroying "the West"...
:"But these words give me a balm to my grief, a momentary solace, a little understanding, as I stumble forward into the void."
Indeed, a balm to grief provides for momentary solace; feeling grief totally is healing. IT heals so that we automagically allow healing to ripple out to all around, like waves in a void.
Thanks for sharing 💜
war is always a political choice, made out of fear or greed. our species at our ugliest
a very pertinent post. thank you.
The meanings of poems vary on the contextual reading with glasses of experience.
Always losing my glasses;)
astonishing !