“War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; Trumpery is Reality”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learning Curve ~ Philip Brent
Missing magic, miracles
All vanished
Nowhere to be found
From vast spaces
Gone
Into unseen
Miniscule interstices
Between atoms
Disappeared
Despite clues
Maps and legends
Whispered rumors
Whereabouts remained
Unknown
Quests were mounted
Heroes came forth
Solo adventurers
Fellowships, too
Robber’s trusts
All trekked far
Endured miles
Uncounted
Mighty mountains
Scaled
Storm-wracked seas
Sailed
Searing deserts
Searched
They battled
Mightily and long
Until broken
Their journeys
All in vain
No matter
What you have
Been told
Others searched
Beggars, vagabonds
Gypsy princes
Fisher kings
False prophets
Innocent children
Pure of heart
Fat cats, layabouts
Found nothing
Or false treasure
Gilded lilies
Still, no sign
Of any
Missing magic
Liars proclaimed
Their success
Their lying lips
Crimson with failure
Quest and reward
Twisted until
They became
Unrecognizable
The truth
Hidden inside
Banker’s boxes
Church offerings
Shelters, soup kitchens
Gifts given
And received
Any place
Least expected
Almost no one
Knew, remembered
Almost everyone
Yearned because
Life felt empty
Imposters promised
Reasons, riches
Relief, relaxation
Their lying lips
Crimson with failure
World and life
Distorted
Unrecognizable
Nothing filled
Our empty spaces
Vast, inside
Utterly alone
Unknown
We wandered
Wondered what if
We found
Our missing part
Where could we,
Would we fit it
In glutted lives
Ransomed to
Useless detritus
We ran
Full-tilt chaos
We could not
Keep up or
Catch up
Apprehend
Or comprehend
That these people
These moments
Were our lack
Our longing
Became hidden
Hollow, lost
Forgotten
Ignored people
Called losers,
Lack wits, worse
Still sought
To fill in
Empty places
Within themselves
Our world
Mysteriously
Magic began
To appear
Shining forth
In a disregarded
Artist’s paintings
“He’s mad,” they said
Any who noticed
Said, “ignore him.”
Yet glimpses appeared
In a sonata
Lost to the future
A Sarabande,
Lost in time
A buried sculpture
Unearthed the magic
A comic strip
Laughed the magic
A rap song
Roused the magic
A play
Acted the magic
An aria
Sang the magic
Graffitied walls
Wanted the magic
Widely to appear
Everywhere
Crimson lips
Failed to stifle,
Gainsay miracles
They battled magic
Mightily and long
Until broken,
Their efforts
All in vain
We will thus
Succeed despite
What you have
Been told
Because first one
Then another
Realize nothing
Need be realized
What we, denigrated,
Ignored, feared lost
Need only be seen
Stars blazing brightly
After the storm
Has cleared the air
Possibilities inspired
Brought to light
Our world entire
Our very being
Magically miraculous
Miraculously magical
If only, if only
If only
Still, so few
When they look
Are able to see
Willing to share
Calling for balance
Seeking sanity
Do you understand
Our challenge
Do you recognize
The truth
All equal all
Myriad aspects
Multiple faces
In different places
Intelligence is not
Enough
Language alone
Cannot communicate
Hubris harbors
Destruction
Blind belief only
Alienates acceptance
We must remove
The masks we wear
To navigate
Our daily gauntlet
Test, trial, win or lose
Until we stop
Exhausted, drop
Lie upon the ground
Perceive our world around
Realize what we see
Has always been
Miraculous and magical
Exactly where we belong
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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