The Questions I See

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What do I see? I see ... THE ALL ... The chance to kiss deep the matter, dark, and merge with the macrocosm ... to embrace the tremble of strings, like the fingertips of a lustful god, tinkling the black keys of corporeity ... to range through dimensions, like souls through the curtain, mortal ... to whorl nebulous with the dust of stars, and bathe in the coruscating warble of continuance, flung ever out-ward, like sugar spun into cotton candy ... to become all that is unseen, dense and oblique, pitching to singularity with cold chaos ... swimming the red shift with mass, increas- ing, and contemplate the blue variance of time, a horizon void of events, yet full of wonder ... I see a being of light, a phantom of photons and kinetic intent, that longs for an ethereal existence, a luminous life without restraint or conflict. I see the chance to wander the heavens at will, and gaze upon all that creation has imagined in its instances, all that no eye, in its grandest postulations, could ever hope to behold ... there is no pulling of the human heart that can eclipse the longing for knowledge, the eternal tug outward of the spirit to the Universe unknown and unseen ... it is beyond expression and cognitive representation, it far outweighs all the loves and wants and desires of the human spirit ... I see the mortal veil, an indescribable distance above the acumen of every- thing known and knowable, the preeminent postulation of all that was and could ever be, the final expression of my senses ... I see questions: why is so much placed at our doorstep that is so far beyond realization and imagination? Why is so much wonder and beauty so out of reach of our comprehension and appreciation? What IS beauty and wonder, if it can not be realized, relished or adored?!? I see vastness unknowable, that greets our eyes as we gaze at the heavens, or through the eyepiece of a telescope, marvels magnificent, stunning phenomena, and spectacles of science and space that we will NEVER perceive ... that NO creature or being with the aptitude or endowment for estimation, will EVER realize or savor or applaud. I see no tragedy of existence more profound ... there is no element of discernment that is sadder or more grievous ... we have an endless bounty of wonders that stretches into infinitude above our heads, and just enough intelligence to realize that ... like so many things, even though we can SEE it, we will never, ever, come ... to TOUCH it. ~ 1st Place ~ in the "Tell Me - What Do You See?" Poetry Contest, James Edward Lee, Sr, Judge & Sponsor.

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L. J. Carber

Date: 5/2/2019 8:38:00 AM

This is quite good-- sorry I missed it before. A beautifully written prose-poem that captures the spiritual angst of probably every intelligent 'seeker' who ever trod the hard earth. Must take exception to the last stanza, though: I've experienced 'events' that cannot be explained by any law of physics, as have countless others who have recorded such since the Testaments and Plato up to brain surgeon Dr. Eben Alexander's account of his NDE in 'Proof of Heaven'. In time we all get to know God.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/2/2019 9:49:00 AM

Thank you so much for this wonderfully thoughtful comment, LJ, but I'm wondering if perhaps you misunderstood the last stanza? I am saying (maybe not clearly) that most of this Universe - stuffed replete with wonders unimaginable - will forever remain unseen by human eyes, as the chance that we learn how to cross it before our end is relatively impossible, and that it is such a frustration for those who long to. That is nearly empirical, (though I love to dream otherwise) ...

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/2/2019 9:49:00 AM

(2) I, myself, had an experience when my heart stopped three times, and wrote about it in my poem "Heaven, The Shortest Journey", which you might find interesting. Also "Strings" and "Bright In the Dark" touch on similar considerations. A number of others as well, but I won't bore you with monotony, lol. Blessings and thanks for this marvelous and stimulating discussion - THIS is what poetry is al about, in my opinion, pricking minds to words and discourse. Great day, my friend! :-)

Rita A. Simmonds

Date: 3/2/2019 11:30:00 AM

Dear Greg: You are a magnanimous soul! I really appreciate what you've given us! Thank you.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/2/2019 6:50:00 PM

Oh, that's so sweet to say, Rita, thank you so much! Blessings to you and yours! :-) <3

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 2/22/2019 4:54:00 PM

Greg, Wow. you blew this contest UP!! Even if I saw all that you did in that picture, I could never express it so superbly. how are ya doing, buddy? Did you find out yet what happened to the missing poet?

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/2/2019 6:51:00 PM

You are very kind, Andrea, and I'm so pleased you liked this one ... blessings, Buddy! :-) <3