We walk in darkness, absolute
Darkness. We’re immersed in it.

Light—what we call light,
Is within us . . .

Absent the eye,
And the brain that perceives the stimuli,
There is no light.

This marvelous brain—a god imprisoned
In a castle of bone—creates light,
And the creature sees the world, and thus
Empowered to move within it, to grasp,
To manipulate, to make, to reach for the stars!
And the brain-god takes pleasure
In the creatures handiwork—
A fusion, a harmony of mind and body.

9 Responses to “And Let there Be Light!”

1. oxygon Says:
   October 21st, 2009 at 10:03 am

   “Thinking” in the wee hours before dawn can be dangerous! It’s just a wild idea that came to me, as I was thinking about the mystery of photon conversion into images, and the mind’s consciousness of images. As for other life forms that also “see,” I surmise that they do not contemplate light, and the absence thereof. In my way of thinking, the human brain is a mortal god that ponders its demise, and contemplates a transcendent continuity–eternal life . . .

   art

2. littlebeknown Says:
   October 21st, 2009 at 12:29 pm

   I think therefore I am — says the brain-god. Fiat Lux and there it is. Pondering, rearranging ideas gets us to come up with some interesting ideas. It’s like H.G. Wells’ martians — big brains inside machines — didn’t they have an eye and a hand to hold things up to the eye. Thanks for the poem. Jerry

3. yann rolland Says:
   October 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 am

   I like the images of the poem, the human cleverness and the brain is totally confusing for abstraction, from a living form, the brain, we get abstract form (the thoughts), we have a lot to understand or couldn’t we….Enjoyed the grasping of mind here.

   regards

   yann

4. oxygon Says:
   October 22nd, 2009 at 11:21 am

   Thanks, Jerry. I love to sit around and speculate in my “spare” time alone. All kinds of things will come to mind, most of which are associated with prior experience, or perhaps the suppressed memory of the ideas of others, encountered in the act of acquiring knowledge. When I allude to someone’s known ideas, I try to not forget to credit them. —Indeed, what is really new under the sun?

   art

5. oxygon Says:
   October 22nd, 2009 at 11:24 am

   And thanks you, yann. Abstraqct concepts can lead to confusion, but we plod onward, trying to glean a greater understanding of the mysteries of the marvelous mind. I had a little fun conceptualizing the “brain-god.”

   Have a great evening –

   art

6. oxygon Says:
   October 22nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm

   Actually, there is a kind of sci-fy angle to this—the idea of a god bound in the skull of a body, but having the power to use the body to carry out his will. Some of them are evil—they kill, just like in the movies. On the other hand, I’d like to think this also has some deeper psychological/philosophical meaning.

   art

7. memoona Says:
   October 25th, 2009 at 11:02 pm

   I love your poem art! Mind in indeed one of a complex strucuture of human body and we can use our mind the way we want as it is the most poweful organ and consciously designed.

   Regards,
   Memoona.

8. Anita Irene May Says:
   October 27th, 2009 at 11:07 pm

   Yes, and again Yes. A good verse that gives a shape to a deep and difficult thought. I especially like the line-Light is within us-
   I see that and feel that.
   Great Work!

9. Ida Werrett Says:
   November 5th, 2009 at 12:41 pm

   I somehow missed this little gem, Art, but you know how much I enjoy this type of poem and the thought behind it.I often speculate on such things myself and I’ve decided that the safest place for the the light is in my hard head.
   Ida

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