An Existentialist Speaks
We’re all in it
apart
Alphabet pasta bits
swirling in chicken broth
A sand dune of human grains
awhirl, subject to
the wind’s whimsy
A night sky filled with wandering stars
Stasis in motion
We do what we must in our
earthly bodies without regard for
The Big Judgement fairy tale
Some argue that life without God
is meaningless
a void
They seem so sure and
squint hostilely at
my assertion that
all of that “redemption” crap
is pointless as a salt lick
on the I-90
Mom thinks I’m worse than
an atheist; she’s worried
I didn’t pay attention in
catechism class.
She’s right.
Here
Now
Lost in the stars
We’re all in it
apart
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
NaPoWriMo #3, for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, where Kerry asked for poems about Existentialism. Also, Three Word Wednesday gave us Argue, Lick, and Squint. Kim at Verse First for Poets United wanted poems with a “body” theme, whether a group or a single body. I hope I gave her both!
Existentialism is far from my own path, but I can see how people become isolated, believing there is no God, no consequence in the end, no hereafter, and no particular reason to have faith in anything. I can’t get my mind around it completely, but I gave it a try!
Sharp Little Pencil 
ihatepoetry
Excellent my sistah. Sure, it’s absurd, but it’s absurd because someone somewhere is laughing a head off. Yes, you learned the catechism bad, there am a chasm in your chism – loved this.
Audrey Howitt
I paid attention during catechism, but challenged so many times that I was stuck cleaning bathroom tiles with a toothbrush! Excellent write Amy–for me, especially the ending!
McGuffy Ann
A hot topic, pondered for hundreds of years. Well done.
Sabio Lantz
Fantastic irreverent ecumenicism.
I love the “salt lick phrase”
So is your momma right that:
(a) Your worse than an atheist? [’cause that is only a little short of perfect!]
or
(b) You didn’t attend catechism class [ ’cause that is perfect! 😉 ]
Suggestion:
(1) on the I-90 –> on I-90
(2) But I’m with them on Free Will –> [I’d leave that out. Distracting]
Sharp Little Pencil
Great suggestions, Sabio, and thx for the critique. I’m keeping “the I-90” because that’s how they’ve said it everywhere I’ve lived, even if it is, in effect, redundant. Colloquialism rules.
Am deleting the Free Will part. You’re right, a sore thumb. Thanks, man, you really “get” the constructive crit part of commenting! Love and peace, Amster
Sabio Lantz
cool — glad the comment was useful. I didn’t know that colloquial use of “the I-90” — interesting!
Mary
Hmmm, so you don’t believe in redemption? Or Judgment Day?
I am trying to figure out how this fits in with the ‘body’ prompt; I think I am missing something or perhaps am tired tonight.
Sharp Little Pencil
Mary, thanks for asking. I was speaking from the existentialist’s viewpoint, not my own; that’s why I called it “An Existentialist Speaks,” but maybe the title did not do enough to elucidate that foundation of the work.
I believe in redemption, definitely – but as far as Judgment Day, I don’t know. My sister sticks to it like glue and is positive it’s coming very soon. I don’t concern myself with it, personally; I simply try to do the best I can, hoping it is pleasing with God. I don’t believe in Hell as it’s discussed in the Bible, because I’m not a Biblical literalist; the idea of a God who condemns people to Gehenna “where the worm never dies” is not in line with my all-loving, all-accepting God. (Gehenna has actually the name of the garbage dump outside Jerusalem, hence, the heat that was also eternal. I know, I’m a odd one, but I’m NOT existentialist. I’m a committed follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and that message is one of loving God and each other.
The “body” part of this is the body of people who are existentialists, as well as a comment from that person on the body of Christians and other faiths. Hope this answers your question, Mary, and thanks! Love, Amy
Roger Green
I’m sure you attended the catechism classes; you just distilled it in your own way…
Sharp Little Pencil
Actually, I grew up Episcopalian…!
kellifrog
“pointless as a salt lick
on the I-90”
LOVE!
oldegg
Mankind proffers ideas beyond his comprehension with complete misunderstanding. I am hoping that if I live my life with love I might do no harm. The “stasis in motion” phrase was a good one.
Susan L Daniels
🙂 wonderful! Oh, the deer being lured intot he interstate is such a horrible (bot wonderfully vivid) image.
Sherry Blue Sky
Well, you did a great job of it, whether your head wrapped around it or not, hee hee…….I love, especially, “Here, Now, Lost in the stars, we’re all in it”……..
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
I think you have been reading my mind. LOL Love this!!
Sharp Little Pencil
Loved yours as well, Susie. Yeah, I think we were on the same wavelength!
Kerry O'Connor
Your poem comes to terms with that existential question: How do we find meaning in life? Your introductory comparisons create a wonderful context in which you explore your main contention. (line 8 – I think you mean stars?) Like the speaker of this poem, I have never found the answers to lie in religion, though I understand how it offers a sense of purpose for those who do.
Your final lines are just perfect in bringing the argument to its conclusion.
Here
Now
Lost in the stars
We’re all in it
apart
Sharp Little Pencil
Kerry, thanks for catching that typo! I love crits like that…
I’m not an existentialist, so I had to delve deeply into understanding that point of view, that paradigm. I am actually a member of “the Christian Left,” social justice oriented. If a church family cannot effectively walk in the steps of the one they worship, I have no time for that religion!
I also am not big on miracles and other “proof” that Jesus was the son of God. I think of him more in terms of his teachings than his bloodline or divinity… Amy
Rallentanda
The mantra of existentialism is ” on est ce qu’on fait” which means one is what one does. eg.if you steal from people you are a thief. There is no taking into account that you may really be basically a nice human being who suffered an abusive childhood brought up in poverty etc etc.(no Christian mercy concepts) The onus is on the individual to change or not change depending on how one chooses to live a life without the impetus of God or religious belief .or any spiritual consequences.The only code is the law of the land and you obey these if you don’t want to go to prison. Atheists have no spiritual life.To acknowledge any kind of spirit force is not atheism. In the western world our laws are largely based on Christian ethics so atheists and existentialists are still bound up in Christianity in an unconscious way.This is slowy changing with push for same sex marriage and in some countries the decriminalisation of having sex with animals. So in the future at some stage one will not only be able to marry ones own gender and have progeny of some kind but you wil be able to marry your pets as well. This will of course present difficulties whe it comes to divorce and cloning issues etc.
Sharp Little Pencil
Wow, thanks for a truly comprehensive reply. I agree that there is an intermingling of existentialism and religion, if only for the sake of the “free will” tenet. I’m part of the “Christian Left,” the ones who try to carry out the mission of Jesus in helping the underdog and embracing the outsider. We don’t do this because we were commanded to do it; we do it because we can and we should… and because of Jesus’ teachings, which are echoed in so many other faiths.
I know atheists who live out of love better than many Christians who plop their money in the plate and think it’s a “get out of Hell free” card! I don’t judge anyone based on faith or lack of it. I’m also a member of the United Church of Christ, and we are big on affecting social justice change. This includes same sex marriage. As far as bestiality goes, I do not think that’s valid because the animal can’t give consent (and that’s the least of my problems with it!).
When the economy is bad, someone gets blamed. It was Jews in Germany, Armenians in Turkey… ironically, America’s whole original infrastructure was built by people who were enslaved in Africa and treated like beasts and property here, yet they are also still disenfranchised from the “Pale Male” majority. Gays are simply the latest… along with Arabic people, no matter how long ago they immigrated, plus undocumented Mexicans, whom politicians deplore but farmers love come harvest time… Thanks so much for your input! Peace, Amy
nandinib
Loved it especially the argument over the ‘big judgement day’ and could well imagine the hostile squints, thumbs up to ‘salt-lick’ made me smile!!
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, the “salt lick” was the last thing to hit me for this, too. Seems to be universally liked. It’s because I saw a deer outside my window and was praying it made it through the winter…
lmkazmierczak
Apart and yet a part….yes you have tackled a fine subject with your typical wondrous weaving of words. Always a pleasure to visit your site♫♪
kaykuala
Beliefs are not meant for arguments, To each his own! But belief in God may not be universal these days. Nicely Amy!
Hank
Old Ollie
religion can be problem, but God is cool
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah, yes, it’s the people who make it difficult, full of divisions…
Susan
She’s right! heehee. I love the salt like on the inter-state. We were always in it alone together, yes?
Lisa A.Williams
A thought provoking piece, so well done!
Sheilagh Lee
you write such interesting poetry. A very insightful piece.
David King
We’re all in it
apart
So tellingly made. This say it all in a poem that works extremely well.
Sara v
Amy, That ending was particularly chilling–brilliant; just separate those two consonants and you have a whole ‘nother ending–The one I’m a part of 😉
Sharp Little Pencil
You are too clever, Sara. A part of my wonderful world!
Rosemary Nissen-Wade (@SnakyPoet)
I think you gave it a very good try!
M.A.S.
That is a tough thing to get your mind around. But you wrote it well. I like the full circle beginning/end.
Good to read some poems (which I haven’t done in a while).
Mike
Sabio Lantz
Post Script:
It is so sad that there is no dialogue on poetry blogs.
Mary challenges your orthodoxy above,
and
Rallentanda decries atheists and existentialist in an apocalyptic vision,
and you reply,
but it ends there.
no one follows on poetry blogs — people talk at each other instead of with each other.
That is why I e-mail copies of my responses to folks — as a heads up.
But 50% of the time, folks ignore those too.
It is truly rare to see poetry threads go more than two hierarchies deep.
Great replies, Sharpy. Keep stirring up the hive!
laughwithme45
Not only was your poem a great read, but the comments here as well! I agree with Sabio that you created a great dialogue here! I agree with Sara. I read the last line both way “apart” and “a part”. Each creating a different feel at the end.
Lance
As a liberal Christian I believe in Revelation and that day. But I think it will be different than my fire and brimstone neighbors in the pews think it will be.
This waS amazing: “A sand dune of human grains
awhirl, subject to
the wind’s whimsy”
I think if you have Faith then love is what awaits you when it’s time. I loved this one, amy.
Sabio Lantz
@laughwithme: Sharpy offers dialogue, and how nice if it occurred.
@Lance: I think that if you have Love, faith is superfluous. It is such thinking that destroys Christian parochialism and nurtures christian Universalism. [all Caps, here, intentional] — and I imagine we agree in ways.
margaretbednar
The poetic story telling here is superb. I find poets are quite prolific and to comment and really read takes a lot of time… dialogue is difficult, especially the way blogger sets it up.
I often write poetry that is not based upon how I really feel or what I really believe. I mean, writers write fiction and non-fiction – and so should poets!!!
Existentialism makes my mind go ga ga. I think I missed the boat and didn’t respond to the prompt quite correctly… And as far as religion 0 we all must keep questioning, learning, and traveling along OUR path. 🙂
pearl ketover prilik
Hi there Amer… hope I can post this here.. great to see you again and loving the poemin…