abandon what cannot be kept
of the valuable fraction
for two thousand years
land’s end a conceptual
folly for land never ends
it just dives on its whim
beneath oceans the real end
is water incessantly slapping
intending to renovate faith
formed of bedrock and truth
left unmarred by philosophy
leavings of sand and stone
steadfast sufficient with gravity
footfalls for passage of men
who believe in the unanswered
answers that consternate
unwilling skeptical hearts
here at water’s edge froth
oversimple convictions
cool improvisations by
affable atheists fluid of
reason in wave after wave
of procession recession
progressing regressing
yet ever so fluent of doubt
in the ebb and flow language
of moonrise and tides
foaming arguments surge
then collapse under weight
of their very creation
for two thousand years
of the valuable fraction
abandon what cannot be kept
Even when we cannot believe, like Thomas, we keep coming back to look at the evidence . . .
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yet I find more and more who will not see
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“abandon what cannot be kept”: nice line.
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glad you liked it, Cheryl
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A truly wonderful poem – and there is me the old atheist!
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but an affable one whose views I respect
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Reblogged this on OUR POETRY CORNER.
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thank you for sharing my poem with your readers
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Just love “procession recession, progressing, regressing” but the whole poem as well!
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I appreciate that, ellen
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This is SO beautiful written! And leaves me pondering in a way that would love to chit chat about your deeper thoughts here, Paul. Superb!
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thanks dearly, keely
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Love “intending to renovate faith formed of bedrock and truth” –jarring.
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much appreciated
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Oh wowza, this is good. I love, “who believe in the unanswered answers”–there it is: Faith. You have a lovely rhythm in this too, Paul–I can feel the movement of the waves.
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glad you picked up on the rhythm – it’s always in my head as I write
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Reblogged this on Poesy plus Polemics.
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beautiful…..
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thanks kindly
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