Ged Thompson

Soliloquy of the damned.

Monday 30th September 2013 2:45 am (first posted Thursday 26th September 2013 8:56 pm)

Is it not, such a bitter sweet paradox that it is only in our deepest moments of despair

that the seeds of compassion already inherent in our souls gain the propensity to germinate. Then in our healing permitted to flower.

Would it be the case that without rebuilding we could be whole or must we first be broken to be completed. Are we left searching for what we are or mourning for what we where.

It is only in true moments of solace and humility that the curtain lifts and allows us to view the puppet that is oneself, dancing to the string pulls of ones own ego. At this crossroads a choice becomes apparent, either to try to grasp the handle or quickly divert our attention from the show and fall back to sleep.

But to do anything other than try to grasp that handle would be cowardly and any man who does not try, is not worthy of such a prize at any rate. For the man who turns away from the stage because he cannot stand to see what he is, also turns away from himself and in so doing facilitates his own damnation.

Could it be tragedy or serendipity that presents to us this choice. Free will or preordained, that a man may never know true love, until his ego tamed.

Ged Thompson

26 September 2013

◄ Waiting for the duster.

And then the heart does flutter. ►

Comments

Harry O'Neill

Sun 29th Sep 2013 15:52

Ged,

Good theme (mirrored in the form) of the usual
neccessity of us having to be `broken up` before we can start putting ourselves together again.

Isobel has got to the pith of it.

(I think John was really having a bit of a go at himself)

I`m interested in the `broke up` prose of it.
as a half way house between prose and poetry.

I tried it myself once and came to the conclusion that -for it to work poetically - it would need to gather impetus (speed or emotion-wise) as the `pieces` got to the end.

Needless to say, I couldn`t do it.

Nice insight here though.

Philipos

Fri 27th Sep 2013 20:39

Hi Ged, was out your way earlier in the year. Great City & people. Glad to see your poem attracting so much debate which I followed with interest. Thanks also for commenting on one of mine recently.

Isobel

Thu 26th Sep 2013 22:00

John - nice to see you looking in on us :)x

I can see your point that this errs more on the side of prose than poetry, but I don't think that really matters. It's a musing, a piece of thought. I don't think all musings need to illuminate - in fact I think it's far better when they raise questions and aren't too didactic.

Having said all that, I actually think this piece doesn't raise too many questions. I think the author/poet has already worked out the answers for himself and that many of the questions are rhetorical.

Ged - when I next make it over to the Wirral, I'll give you one hell of a bear hug - which will put you back together if it doesn't break you into a million pieces! xx

Ged Thompson

Thu 26th Sep 2013 21:48

Glad it made you think

Depends how you view ego I suppose and what you consider as ego.

Your comments/sayings are far from useless Isobel and always welcomed.

Your a ribcage poet and you can say whatever you like because I think you are Brill XXX

I fell n love with your poetry the first time I heard you perform 'dolls' not for the nature of the poem and its sexual explicity but for your honesty in writing it and being brave enough to perform it.

Thanks and hope to get that big hug soon.

John Aikman

Thu 26th Sep 2013 21:46

A generous appraisal, Isobel. Is it a poem....or something else? I appreciate the sentiments that it touches...we've all been there....

More questions than answers though. I think the role of poetry is to illuminate rather than to add more questions.

As a teacher once said to me...'Aikman, a fool can ask more questions than a wise man can answer!' I guess I'd been asking too many questions.

: )

Jx.

Isobel

Thu 26th Sep 2013 21:26

There is some interesting thought in here Ged and I'd agree with most of it.

I'm wondering if you should be starting the piece with 'Is it not' rather than 'It is not' - as it seems like you are asking a rhetorical question. I think there are also lots of little words you could cut out to make your thoughts flow more smoothly i.e.

'Is it not such bitter sweet paradox, that only in our deepest moments of despair should the seeds of compassion inherent in our souls, gain propensity to germinate; then in our own healing, be permitted to flower.'

There's an old saying that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - I'd add to that, more understanding and compassionate. If you have experienced being broken, it is so much easier to empathise - and to put all things into better perspective once you are healed.

I'm not sure about the ego part. Believe it or not, I'm not sure I've ever had big one ;) What you are saying seems to make sense though - pride cometh before a fall, and all that... What a fountain of useless sayings I am!

I've enjoyed this cos it made me think.

x

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