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By Katanga
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01 July 2008 |
This is my small effort on Sue's proposed 'Topic for July'.
Looking forward to many more!
Cheers!
John X
By Heart
Man cannot live by bread alone,
for he must live by heart
to understand the universe,
love, poetry and art.
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Seems
Written by Talisker (1338 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | a wee bit half-baked for me, John.
The first line is a biblical quote - which I as a member of the secular society find a little off putting.
"for he must live by heart" - you are up againt a figure of speech problem here. We usually mean "to do from memory" when we say to do such and such "by heart" - though you clearly mean something quite different, this reader is presented with the ambiguity.
"to understand the universe" - is that really necessary or even desirable - I may be being picky. Do you mean like Stephen Hawking or in some "spiritual" sense (see secular society comment above!).
"love, poetry and art" - is not poetry part of art? I think so, which gives the use of both words the appearance of a compromise to rhyme with "heart" - rather than the perfect ending.
Well, there's a thorough review for 4 lines!
It isn't too bad you know. If I understand the underlying emotions it's quite admirable, if a bit trite and apparently rushed out.
Oli
 | I agree . . .
Written by Katanga (1698 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | . . . with you, Oli, on the whole, and yes, what a thorough review for four lines - thank you!
It is indeed a bit trite, and I can attest to the fact that it was indeed rushed out . . .
I just thought I'd get the ball rolling on Sue's topic for July, and fully expect and look forward to far greater works to follow.
Cheers!
John |
Written by Phil (7169 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | When I read Sue's prompt and saw your title I was worried you'd have used my idea - will hopefully be done during the weekend - as it involves a song lyric. I know you're pretty hot on those. Antway, thank goodness you went a different tack.
I guess I'm with Oli on this one. The underlying sentiment is admirable. I think the line that jolted me was: to understand the universe.
Perhaps I'm being a little picky - I do like the sentiment.
I wonder if you can guess the lyric - before I write it, or course.
Phil
| Baffled!
Written by Katanga (1698 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | Thanks Phil!
Okay - I don't understand why that line 'jolts'.
The first line is a biblical quote. YES!
So, I wrote the line 'to understand the universe' in order to challenge the bloomin' creationists. And/or Dawkins, come to that.
It was NOT, as Talisker kindly suggests, a 'throw-away' line to fit the metre and rhyme.
Does that make any sense?
If not, I may as well stick to reviewing!
Cheers!
John X |
Written by Phil (7169 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | Sorry to befuddle.
I didn't mean 'jolt' in a structural/rhythmic/rhyme sense. Probably more a reaction to the thoughts/feelings in my head that the line conjured. It jolted. I'll try and put it into words. For me - 'living by heart' would preclude understanding the universe. (I'm not sure we're referring to exactly the same universe - not just space, galaxies etc, but also earthly things) I also - and this is slightly shocking to me now I come to put in in words - don't want to understand the universe. Too big, complex, and possibly meaningless. The small details that my small brain can cope with fascinate me.
That wasn't the train of thought I had as I read - just a bit of a jolt.
As I said - reading beyond that and taking the piece as a whole, it expresses sentiments that are admirable and that I broadly go along with.
Interesting that we all react in different ways to different words.
Phil | Indeed Phil!
Written by Katanga (1698 comments posted) 1st July 2008 | Thank you for explaining!
All I'm trying to say, I suppose, is that to 'understand the universe', whatever that is, one needs more than 'head' - we need 'heart' as well.
In other words 'the prose and the passion' (Forster's 'Howard's End'), between which there has long been a battle amongst theorisers.
"Only connect . . ." etc.
'The universe' includes science and poetry, and even god (if one is that way inclined).
I don't understand the furore over this, though I'm humbly chuffed that my effort has provoked so much comment!
Cheers!
John X |
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