Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Simorgh

Phoenix rise every five hundred years. That's sort of convenient. There's not much around to remember. But what must their memories be -- to live and die the years of earth and fire -- what do they think on their pyre as ash? How do they come to terms with time when time and existence are linked to the coming and going of the planets, with the birth and death of a system?

Meteors, however, rise on cycles unknown. The same rock running from gravity over stretches and bends. What are the memories of stone? And what must they think of the Phoenix, that creature tied to flame and earth? As the meteors blaze and quarrel with the firebird in the night sky they speak their experience:

All things begin in fire,
all things give way to ash.
Ash becomes stone becomes fire.
We are one and the same,
in a time you can't remember,
and again in time you can't see.


Just as they feud on the dark canvas, painting a pointless streak overhead, we resist what we must become, the rock and fire and ash, burning and hardening in Time's garden.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Hopper,
Thanks for visiting my blog, and I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I've been reading your last few pages of posts and am so inspired by your writing; you breathe such life into your words. I'll definately be giving a lot of thought to "Time's garden" for the next few days.

Jon said...

Thank you very much for stopping by... I was interested and impressed by your site (great design that I have no idea how to do!!!) and your dedication to your project 365 since the beginning of this year... you have a very good eye for photography... KEEP IT UP!... well met new friend...

human being said...

we resist what we must become
and it persist
like a true lover

human being said...

'we resist what we must become'
and it persists
like a true lover...
fire leaves no element
unkissed...

Unknown said...

"Painting a pointless streak overhead..."

Leaving a trace
If what was
What is
And what will be

Falling gently
On the breeze
Collecting in my outstretched hands

Yes
I have rekindled my relationship with the sky
Funny, perhaps, but I don’t remember ever letting her go
In my darkness I felt so alone
But she was always there
Never letting me drift too far
Keeping me connected
Even when I was lost
Always
Always
Always
Reminding me
Of that which came last
From the box
After Pandora
Gave in to her humanity
And opened it

Well spoken Jon
Thanks for the comments
And for listening

Coffee in Toronto
Sounds good to me

When next I find my wings
Northwest I shall fly

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

Fascinating! You write the way some artists paint! Beautiful.

BBC said...

Give it up, it's just more monkey crap in the ruts of time and space behind us. It's not even new monkey crap, you are just recycling stuff.

Go camping or something.

Anonymous said...

Powerful imagery - very intense!

Unknown said...

What is wrong with Recycling?
Some things
Are worth looking at
Again

The reappearance
Of the story
Of the phoenix
Is inevitable

The mystery
Is in the telling
Do you not
Will you not

See?

Nothing is pure fiction
Simply put
The words themselves
Written on the page
Imply an author
Who is real

We often come back
To the things we love
We thirst for them
And we drink

And then we create

human being said...

love's woe
is but one story
and i'm amazed
how unrepeated it is
each time i hear it
from a new tongue...
.
Hafez

Debra Kay said...

Retracing your path
sheds new light on the present
As long as you are not seduced
by what was
or what you thought it was
Losing sight
of what is and what will be
Present, past, perfect future
So many things to know
Ashes and fiery trails whisper
Never forget
Never stop
Burning

Jon said...

Wow... thanks for all the comments and thoughts... my favorite thing about the blogosphere is the discussion...

Bobb... as always... your words are beautiful and poingnant... I've been spending some time thinking about reality and the value of art and soon I will have an answer for our friend bbc... I have been biding my time in the hopes of sharpening my ideas and listening to the ideas of those around me in my community... I've been thinking a lot about silence... how sometimes silence speaks... a tactful silence... more to follow... thanks again for sharing...

SP... it's so nice you stop by this space... your nature walks are part of my everyday now... you are such an insightful person... see you (and your lovely photography) soon...

Tania... been a while... good to see you're still around... I've been in discussion with some writers from SA lately and have heard some more about your beautiful and interesting country... I'll drop you a note soon...

BBC... monkey crapping can be a spiritual act... eating can be... why not???

HB... the quote from Hafez is well placed... thanks for your thoughts on the fire too... we've been doing a work-through all the elements between us lately, eh??? earth, air water fire... maybe there is a group project to be salveged from our collective??? more to follow on this soon... looking forward to your newest post very much!!!

Debra... your poem is so powerful... it speaks so vividly and simply... thank you so much for this perfect gift... your words are magical...

Unknown said...

The game is up…

Earth
Fire
Air...

A theme you say?

But when did this come about?

Remember
The word game
And the poems we wrote
It came to me then
It did...

For I too
Like a challenge
And I too
Like to play games

Oh yes
It came to me then
When Human Being
Challenged us
No one noticed
At the time

But of the assigned words
There were two
That I used
Twice…

And then
The game was afoot …

And you Jon
Are the winner of sorts

Well done!

(On to water
Which I was saving for last
Rocks come from Earth
Within which is Fire
That needs Air
Which gives
Water)

Roxanne said...

hmmm... I don't have anything poetic or deep to say tonight ... but it strikes me how this piece runs with the emotion of inevitability -- so different in essence than your last two pieces -- which are about turning points and choices. I'm laughing at myself now -- it's just me, the J in my Myer-Briggs profile looking for a theme, looking to categorize ... and yet there is none ... just the reality of life -- inevitability and choice often in the same breath ... hmmm-- some food for writing thought over the next weeks! roxy

human being said...

Bobbb, Jon:

the footprints of the master
are never seen
they're buried under
the agitated
hurried
steps of
lovers
whose silent souls
(ever-entangled with his soul
in a collective dance)
are triggered
by the rock
he throws
by the fire
he ignites
by the breeze
he blows
by the water
he flows
.
and their waves
resonate back to him
triggering him
to throw more
to ignite more
to blow more
to flow more
to love more...
to live more
----------------------
once i wrote:

don't mind who started the game
don't mind who wins the game
but
mind that a good game is played by more than one player
and
mind that the game is played fair...

Unknown said...

Not to worry HB
The game is played
More than just fair
For the true prize
Is collective awareness

Beauty percived
Is a great joy
Beauty shared
Is a joy overwhelming

A whole
Greater than its parts
Our minds
Our words

Our hearts

DeLi said...

so sublime.
so touching
im lost

sukipoet said...

What are the memories of stone? Love that question, love stones. I just looked at a book of personal reflections about stones but didn't buy it. Prob should have.

Resist or deny what we must become. It is theatre of the absurd, eh? No logic can explain it. Why we are here and then apparently not here.

But if we become ash then we will become part of stone or earth, as ash enriches the dirt and so in that sense we live forever in the ever changing forms of nature.

human being said...

hey Bobbb... dear zen master...
you're just FABULOUS!

'A whole
Greater than its parts'

positive synergy, eh?
and imagine this one:
a whole encompassed by one of its parts...
:)
------------------------
Jon,
did you know that Simorgh raised a human child who was an outcast because he was albino? his name was Zaal...

Enemy of the Republic said...

I enjoyed this. Lately I've been into the 4 elements--you work a lot with fire and earth. You strike me as someone who is very attune to nature and I don't just mean the physical realm.

Lynn Cohen said...

You said: "...we resist what we must become, the rock and fire and ash, burning and hardening in Time's garden."

Such an image of life
comes to my mind
and DEATH
I keep thinking of death and dying and loss...growing older...the inevitable I think you also said...

I definitely RESIST what I MUST BECOME, as we all must...all must...eventually...

This trip I am on involved
a visit to a dear friend
who had to accept
the recent death of her husband;

another I will visit before going
home...who also has to accept the loss of her husband...to death...

and how afraid I was today
when my dear husband felt ill
fatigued
chilled
unable to go on...
I want to deny and not accept that he too could die some day...
not now please G-d. I'm sure he will recover, but it was scary.
A frightening thought i'd rather deny/resist.

Yes, the dialogues here are meaningful
rich
not 'monkey crap' or any other kind of crap
beautiful
helpful
appreciated
needed
by many
by me

thank you all for your comments
thank you Jon for your writings that provoke thought
and elicit caring from many
thank you...

Jon said...

Hello again friends...

Crow... I don't know how else to say thank you... all these words I write are in some way a tribute to you... you push us all... you make us all think... you are this master
of which you speak... we would be lost without your guidance and care... you say "to ignite more... to flow more... to love more... to flow more..." you lead by your example... and that game... the play with words we try to take upon ourselves... this would not be possible without you... you are my guide through this distant and foreign land... this game is not one I wish to win... only to take part in... and no... I didn't know about the albino child Zaal... but as you know it's totally pertinent to what I'm writing now and I'm going to siphon that into my work.. as always you give me pause... you are an amazing teacher...

Bobb... this first thought brings me to my thoughts for you... when we first met I didn't know what to thing (and honestly still don't)... for I am earth... I am water and fire and wind... I follow in your footsteps... you show me a path through this tempest... your words are a gift... an ebb and flow of love and living... not a challenge but an invitation to think and test boundaries... and yes... we are together in this space and time... we feed from one another... and so in that way I have found my kin... I hold you in my thought as I would my family... (when I speak to my peers they all know who I mean when I say... my friend told me... my friend Citizen of Earth... Bobb... thanks for being there for me and for your reflections... p.s.... hope you like my latest reflection for our friend BBC!!!

Deli... You are a part of us all being lost... I know how you feel... I'm lost too... I can't even look at a newspaper anymore without being drawn into 100 questions... but I don't think there's anything wrong with that... it's the questioning and not knowing that makes us wise and strong and resilient... I'm so glad that we've met and that you are a part of our community here... please don't leave us... I/WE value your voice!!!

Suki... The memories of stone:

I can't understand beach rocks in the desert or the gulls flapping overhead... can't swallow sea water or the tiny bottle that says "DRINK ME"! can't hear the chatter of stones in the tide without asking why... why we must search and ask these questions... but my friend... it is sacred and blessed for its own sake... and if it wasn't for people like you... for the life you've lived and the experience you share and teach to me... this young man would remain a stranger in a strange land... and as you paint color on your canvas I leave these words that you may never find... just to say how important art is for art's sake... ever you biggest fan though so much space keeps us apart... I am so inspired by Lynn's latest post and her comment to me above... how much I'd love to meet you all... bet we'd all have a great evening!

EOTR... have a letter about teaching coming your way... thanks for stopping by and sharing with us all...

And Lynn... I don't know where you've found the capacity to write in such a way that you always touch my soul... I'm so pleased that you find some comfort in this space... often I ask myself questions and questions and questions... never really finding any answer... but I agree with you... that sometimes it's our friends in this space that give some sort of answer... if anything that I've said has meant anything to you it's the biggest flattery you could pay me... I'm so sorry to hear about all the loss you've seen recently... there is no steadfast answer to these pains... and my thoughts are with your friends... I never meant to strike so close to anyone's home about ash and fire... though I wasn't afraid of those implications... I only hope now that you know that we are here for you... that we will listen... all of the people in our community (AND YES I FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING FOR US ALL IN THIS REGARD)... we are present... we are here if you need us... my heart skips a beat when it sounds like you're having a rough day...

HOLDING YOU ALL IN MY THOUGHTS...

JON

Lynn Cohen said...

Jon, dear friend, thank you for your kind words here and on my blog.
Fred is better this morning and we are heading onward on our journey/adventure/trek/trip...

I do feel the support of everyone here. It is wonderful. Not sure when I'll next sit by a computer to check in but will when I can.
In the meantime, keep writing, keep creating, you and everyone, and hugs to you all, hugs to you, Jon/Hopper, my friend!!!!!!!!!

Lynn, feeling much better today!
Your words helped this to happen.