The Role of Poetry

[Lou Gold]

Here's a marvelous interview between Trevor Noah and Amanda Gorman that raises interesting metaphysical perspectives on the role of lingo in diffusing a paradigm into popular culture. YES! This is a U.S.- based example but surely much broader. Just imagine poetry being presented center-stage at a championship football or soccer game in any country.

I find similar cultural diffusion phenomena in hip-hop and slam poetry. Or, back to the ever-poignant and promising 1960's, this dynamic musical confluence of two great Canadians.

God is alive; Magic is afoot
God is alive; Magic is afoot
God is afoot; Magic is alive
Alive is afoot.....
Magic never died.

God never sickened;
many poor men lied
many sick men lied
Magic never weakened
Magic never hid
Magic always ruled
God is afoot
God never died.

God was ruler
though his funeral lengthened
Though his mourners thickened
Magic never fled
Though his shrouds were hoisted
the naked God did live
Though his words were twisted
the naked Magic thrived
Though his death was published
round and round the world
the heart did not believe

Many hurt men wondered
many struck men bled
Magic never faltered
Magic always led.
Many stones were rolled
but God would not lie down
Many wild men lied
many fat men listened
Though they offered stones
Magic still was fed
Though they locked their coffers
God was always served.

2..

Magic is afoot. God rules.
Alive is afoot. Alive is in command.
Many weak men hungered
Many strong men thrived
Though they boasted solitude
God was at their side
Nor the dreamer in his cell
nor the captain on the hill
Magic is alive
Though his death was pardoned
round and round the world
the heart did not believe.

Though laws were carved in marble
they could not shelter men
Though altars built in parliaments
they could not order men
Police arrested Magic
and Magic went with them,
for Magic loves the hungry.

But Magic would not tarry
it moves from arm to arm
it would not stay with them
Magic is afoot
it cannot come to harm
it rests in an empty palm
it spawns in an empty mind
but Magic is no instrument
Magic is the end.

Many men drove Magic
but Magic stayed behind
Many strong men lied
they only passed through Magic
and out the other side
Many weak men lied
they came to God in secret
and though they left him nourished
they would not say who healed
Though mountains danced before them
they said that God was dead
Though his shrouds were hoisted
the naked God did live

3...

This I mean to whisper to my mind
This I mean to laugh with in my mind
This I mean my mind to serve 'til
service is but Magic
moving through the world
and mind itself is Magic
coursing through the flesh
and flesh itself is Magic
dancing on a clock
and time itself the magic length of God.

[AshvinP]

Here's a marvelous interview between Trevor Noah and Amanda Gorman that raises interesting metaphysical perspectives on the role of lingo in diffusing a paradigm into popular culture.

Mad props for the attempted link to metaphysics... I respect the effort in your game, Lou.

[Lou Gold]

Here's a marvelous interview between Trevor Noah and Amanda Gorman that raises interesting metaphysical perspectives on the role of lingo in diffusing a paradigm into popular culture.

Mad props for the attempted link to metaphysics... I respect the effort in your game, Lou.

I believe AG is high wire balancing on a treacherous line between woke and wonder. The poet seeks to capture the mind. Is that not what metaphysics seeks as well?

[Lou Gold]

Ashvin,

PS: I really respect the avoidance of a partisan pounce. Well done!

[Soul_of_Shu]

The interview is not available in Canada, so I can't make any assessment as to how it is primarily focused on metaphysics. I'll let it stand for now, as it doesn't seem to be generating much pertinent feedback. In any case, most of the original post may be better suited to the 'art' section.

[Lou Gold]

The interview is not available in Canada, so I can't make any assessment as to how it is primarily focused on metaphysics. I'll let it stand for now, as it doesn't seem to be generating much pertinent feedback. In any case, most of the original post may be better suited to the 'art' section.

Too bad Shu,
I think you would enjoy it.
The key humor was that the President's inaugural address was an 'opener' for AG's poetry and
the key factual paradigm shift is that AG will write and read a poem at the upcoming Super Bowl.
"Because something is happening here but you don't know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?"
"The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind."
But, yeah, maybe better in the arts section, which I confess to have forgotten about.

[AshvinP]

Ashvin,

PS: I really respect the avoidance of a partisan pounce. Well done!

Thanks!

Poetry in general is definitely relevant to metaphysics, but we can discuss it without Trevor Noah or AG

[Soul_of_Shu]

the key factual paradigm shift is that AG will write and read a poem at the upcoming Super Bowl.

Perhaps, insofar as it's not Madonna singing the poetry of "You know we're living in a material world, and I am a material girl". Mind you, Madonna actually did sing the poetry of 'Like a Prayer' at the Superbowl, which seems an ode to the Divine "___" (fill in the blank with a name for That which defies all names), and so I suppose metaphysically inspired poetry performed at the Superbowl is not all that new.

[Lou Gold]

the key factual paradigm shift is that AG will write and read a poem at the upcoming Super Bowl.

Perhaps, insofar as it's not Madonna singing the poetry of "You know we're living in a material world, and I am a material girl". Mind you, Madonna actually did sing the poetry of 'Like a Prayer' at the Superbowl, which seems an ode to the Divine "___" (fill in the blank with a name for That which defies all names), and so I suppose metaphysically inspired poetry performed at the Superbowl is not all that new.

I do relate especially well to AG's personal story because it bears some similarities with my own, although she is much more disciplined, focused and accomplished.

Madonna too. Poetry and song are closely related, which is why I included other examples in my original post. What might be more easy to grok by a modern Idealist than:

This I mean to whisper to my mind
This I mean to laugh with in my mind
This I mean my mind to serve 'til
service is but Magic
moving through the world
and mind itself is Magic
coursing through the flesh
and flesh itself is Magic
dancing on a clock
and time itself the magic length of God.

[Lou Gold]

the key factual paradigm shift is that AG will write and read a poem at the upcoming Super Bowl.

Perhaps, insofar as it's not Madonna singing the poetry of "You know we're living in a material world, and I am a material girl". Mind you, Madonna actually did sing the poetry of 'Like a Prayer' at the Superbowl, which seems an ode to the Divine "___" (fill in the blank with a name for That which defies all names), and so I suppose metaphysically inspired poetry performed at the Superbowl is not all that new.

What may be new with Amanda is that she is walking a high wire bridging wonder and wokeness in her poetic effort:



Of course, you may disagree.