A seed exists
Not for itself
but
For food for a bird
or
To become a flower
A flower exists
Not for itself
but
For our sensual pleasure
or
To give nectar to a bee
A bee exists
Not for itself
but
To make our sweet honey
or
To pollinate the flower
To make
a seed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A child is born
Not of itself
but
From a parent's love
and
To be a part of society
Society is born
Not of itself
but
From collective conscience
and
To serve the individual
An individual is born
Not of itself
but
Within a greater whole
and
To serve the greater good
To birth
a child
Author notes
Even creation tells us why
Written September 2nd, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- Thoughtful Poetry (write your deepest thoughts!)! by Everyones Dead.
300 points, ended October 13, 2004, 33 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 36 of 36
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Very thoughtful and I enjoyed the intellectual progressions. Things are both bigger and smaller than they appear. Thank you for the thought-provoking read.
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a very philosophical outlook on life.nothing complicated but still deep.thought-provoking in a simplistic manner.great insight into the musings of a thinking person.a job well done.that is always a plus.
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great write .It makes me think deeply in many unexplained things.
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You pose a great point that science backs in everything (which you have stated above). Design calls for a "Designer", does it not? Wonderful write!
Carry on - God Bless
Claide -
Oh baby!! This is really a great piece. Absolute and true. Made for a most uplifting read. Thank you for sharing such an outstanding write and best wishes in the contest.
Sam
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I like the idea that things link together, and that the universe serves a purpose. What that purpose is though, I do not know. I can see that seeds can be food for birds, and honey food for mankind. However, I can also see that certain forms of life seem to exist mainly as food for other life forms, and that many life forms go into extinction on a regular basis, and that mankind is the cause of much of this extinction, with his overwhelming desire to alter the environment to suit himself. I'm afraid I don't see the world existing to serve mankind, as in the honey from the flower being there for us. If mankind is the acme of creation, then he isn't making a great job of things. The world is a beautiful place, but not universally by any manner of means. Sorry I feel like this. It doesn't mean I don't have faith, but yours, as expressed here, seems far more direct and straightforward. It is a nice poem, by the way. Best Wishes.
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the connection of one thing to another is remarkable when you contemplate how intriquite the universe is. a domino effect if one thing fails, there will be inevitable disaster not too far behind. perhaps that is the lesson to be learned. be selfless and look after all things, if you fail, you are neglecting yourself. interesting poem, i enjoyed it. ~luminescent~
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this is a beautifully written work. you brought both parts to full circle with elegance, simplicity and grace. your comment in the author's box is something i have always believed. creation does tell the story. if we look closely we see all the details. this is a wonderful poem.
Edited on Oct 15, 9:01 because ''. -
Ohhhh that is very nice indeed.... thought provoking.
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I'm somewhat puzzled by Duana's comment that "Marxism and Christ are not so different in some ways". Perhaps I missed the point. Maybe the simplicity of this piece - which I thought is the basis of its great appeal – is deceptive. I also thought that you have taken it further. It seemed to end not just abruptly but as though you disconnected while still typing. Thank you for your comments on my poem. And your honesty in your reaction. You mentioned some writings of yours that might be relevant. Perhaps you would refer me. Tell me where they're to be read. I'd appreciate that.
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I think you summed it up very well, everything has its reason and there is a place and reason for everything well said
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so nothing is of itself for itself, but all things are itself a self.
i dunno... maybe there is no self and there never was a self and all conceptions of self are merely manifestations of shaded jaded perception.
the way you went about this was pretty interesting. i can see that you put some thought into this. -
very insightful!
I liked this poem...it was very beautifully written...to me, it kinda showed that everything happens for a reason other than, you know, JUST happening. It also showed that earthly things exist to help other things and affect things around them in someway...LOL, maybe I'm silly and got things all wrong - I'm known to get unintended meanings out of poems (that's why I don't do so good in literature classes), but I am what I am, and that's what I am.
Never mind me! Congrats on your poem, I really, really liked it - these types of spiritual, insightful poems are personally my favorites. Congrats on this and good luck in the contest!
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whoa...absolutely great. i really like the style that you wrote this is..repeating certain lines while still adding new things so make it make sense. this topic is well known and thought about it so many different ways but no matter what it all begins the same. great write...thank you for commenting on mine also...
sarah -
Made some very profound poetic points in your poem, and I did enjoy it greatly!
Thanks for sharing you, and may you pen on and on...great stuff here ya got!
-Timothy The Poetic Weaver~ -
Unique, true and well done with a great flow! A very intriguing read, much enjoyed. Brava!
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Mel... i really like the simplicity of this. the old "keep it simple stupid" principle has always appealed to me. I'm wishing you had taken it just a wee bit further, but then that just might have cluttered it up. I do like the piece. It appears you took my request to entertain both sides of my brain literally -- the first half all imagery, the second more cerebral. Stay tuned for the results...
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Marxism and Christ are not so different in some ways!
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Ah, yes procreation. Is this why all life exists...the big ?
A nice thought provoking poem. Diane
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I have to agree with Poetryreality
Nothing greater than life and living
But I also read it a different way too, almost sensual with the bee pollinator
Beautiful poem and good luck in the contest
Love n hugs
Susan~~~
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This is so obvious and insightful. The evolution of creation is all encompassing and involved, just as your poem. There is nothing greater than the extent of life and living. You have captured so much with the greatness of the natural with this poem. Excellent! Good luck with the contest!
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Impactful
Endearingly sweet and universally true. Excellent condensing of utterly overwhelming concepts and consequences. And I truly loved the last stanza... -
Yes, it amazes me the interpretations that people have of poems. I wrote a poem about a relationship that ended and hurt and someone bought it from me to give to their spouse to express love. Go figure.
. I think that is one of the things that makes poetry great. There's the possibility of 3 conversations. 1) Between the poet and the poem. 2) Between the poem and the reader. and sometimes 3) Between the reader and the poet.
My intent was to argue life's interdependence and we exist to serve others. I wanted to contradict ideas of existing for our own pleasure and independence.
Thanks for your comments and entering into the 3rd conversation.
Edited on Sep 03, 10:46 because ''. -
OK, I might have been a little tongue in cheek, but it does fit.
Anything that can generate so many people saying "Hey, this is great because it says..." and have different meanings to follow the elipses has to be good.
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Marxism? Yeow. I was making a case they we exist for others not ourselves.
Edited on Sep 03, 10:25 because ''. -
At first, I was going to say that I disagreed with this wholeheartedly (but that it was a very good elucidation), because I was overwhelmingly driven to the conclusions of the two sections, and the purpose of life as propagation makes me shudder. I'd also have trouble seeing that as a Christian perspective (God said be fruitful and multiply, but the purpose of existence was pretty clearly to serve God... a point he drove home with Abraham).
On a second and third reading, though, the broader implications come forward (sensual pleasure, to be food, to be part of society, to serve the individual). This is closer to Marx's concept of a species-being, and a lot more appealing than being simple baby factories. Marx emphasized not only the role of humans within the productive matrix of society, but also within the relations of re-production- both in the sense of having children, but more broadly to incorporate the reproduction of the home and self.
At any rate, as a poem, this works to create a sense of connection between elements, both explicity and by the parallel structures. It expands outward to incorporate meanings and connections within the stanzas, but contracts down to a point to end each section.
The elements are natural and organic within the frame, and the poem flows smoothly. The biblical antithetical parallelism reinforces the message. Very well done, and whatever the specific intent, the poem is life-affirming and joyful. That can never be too far from the truth.
Brian
Edited on Sep 03, 10:12 because ''. -
A BEAUTIFUL POEM
This is a truly lovely poem, which shows how we can not live alone in God's world, everything and everyone is connected in way or another. SIMPLY WONDERFUL Take care, Sandy
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A deep and wonderful write- I liked it a lot You described the interdependency of different aspects of both nature and society (perhaps even they interrelate?) well Keep writing because this was great, good luck in the contest
PS Do you like my new motto? This is my first comment with it on I'll only take it down if a Republican tells me to and you're a Republican (I think it was your work I was reading anyway )
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The Wheels of Life
Beautifully said, and brilliantly written! You have described the inter-connectedness and inter-dependency of all Life, in its cyclic nature, so succinctly. Bravo!
~ G
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You did a wonderful job putting these things into perspective and showing how one is made to help the other. Nicely written and well thought out. I really enjoyed this write hun. *hug8
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we are all seeds of some form or another planted here to perpetuate our species, and to expand our growth beyond the petty, and the mundane ,adn the hooror reaped upon us all when the harvests of war, or famine, or disaster strikes. even the dandelion when it is a puff sends out it's flocks of seeds across the fields to find roots and nurture and become more seed bursters, some fall into the lake and some on asphalt, and some on rooftops or in houses and never become dandy from where they are lying, others find root and add more sunny yellow fuzz heads to the spring green....such is the way for all including humans...we make our way through life, leaving roots and shoots of new life, hoping that a small part of us will live on in the seeds we have left behind...great poem...Artis
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This reminds me of something I had written a while back. I really liked how you put everything into perspective of relying on each other to do their part, which in turn benefits life as a whole. Funny how things you look at every day can be brought into a new light with something like this. Nicely done.
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Nice work. I agree we are here to be a part of the greater good- but not just the greater good of course, but the 'true objective ideal' of what is good. Unofrtunately society often gets in the way of that.
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It is MY philosophy for life. I do not expect all to agree though I have hopes. Thanks for the positive comment. I think it shows good character to comment positively on a piece with which you do not agree.
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hmmmmm... interesting idea. altho i do not really agree, i liked the circular motion and rhythm of the poem.
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awesome write! loved the style and flow of it too.
~*~Ashley~*~
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