shadow of doubt
shadow of doubt
by Halifax
beyond reason
immersed in a flying leap
of curious imagination
caught up in a movement
to stand still a moment
a simple figment of faith
which floats and casts
a long night time behind
forms an unwavering finger
extending into forever
as it so happens to be
behind the tendril mote
A blast furnace pouring
absolute certainty abounds
oblivious to the twist
caught up in it’s path
that makes certainty moot
rather beside the point
driven behind the dust
accumulating in the wake
until in time a time occurs
when latecomers arrive
and stack spare moments
before arrival thereafter
building a monument
to the obvious facts
that there is nothing left
that can be taken for granted
Faith is the degree
to which doubt withstands
the certainty of knowing
pitted against the refuge
contrary awareness provides
suspended by disbelief
it teeters on ignition
a filament in the threshold
of absolute understanding
every last shred of doubt
is stubborn but trembling
at nagging accusations behind
the dark gathering in it’s shadow
with relief by comprehension
only a shrug of oblivion away
i can start it off with just a few thoughts…i felt the theme or point was a chronicling of your mind-adventures defining reason and faith, not reconciling the 2…but rather like the justification of a choice of ‘custody’ between parents in a nasty divorce–and you choose faith. Which is fleshed out as a sort of secular faith, i got the feeling, because there’s little religious iconology in the poem. I’m not a perfect philosopher, but it seems the 3rd stanza identifies reason symbolized as a blast furnace and equated with modernism and industrialism…and a key word ‘absolute’ surfaces here and in the 4th stanza denoting Hegel. It would appear the argument is that an absolute knowledge is impossible and only faith can anchor one’s life perspective and keep a person ‘going’–thus echoing in part the assertion: “Doubt is unagreeable, but certainty is ridiculous.” I was impressed with the piece’s ability to straddle direct communication and figurative metaphorical description making it Kierkegaardian in its use to render understanding for the reader. It was a lot to take in at once, but then again it had much to offer and there’s no easy way of spoon-feeding the audience except how you pulled it off. I wouldn’t have at first thought about the connections between one’s childhood past and present adulthood in fitting/working out these questions and wonderings–but it makes sense. Job well done! Very good!
I appreciate your comment Quasimofo. The “critiquing” conversation we held on that other webbed-sight put vivid floaters across my eyes.
Thanks for helping me with…my confidence in posting this poem. It’s ridiculous that I get nervous about sharing poems(I use an assumed name for Christ’s sake). That alone should make me fearless. It is the faith that I exercise that makes me willing to share what I write. Largely, for now~ my faith to act is based in the steady supply of indifference the world graciously lends me. Otherwise, I’d have nothing to say worth the price of saying it. Should the day come that that indifference runs out, I hope I have the good sense to shut up.
Thank you.