For National Poetry Month this year, I wrote the following poem and pasted it on my Facebook page:
In the beginning
after the world was formed
and mountains took shape
and rivers determined to snake
It was only at that point
with the birth of flesh
did breath become air
and our eyes skywards-stared
Well, shortly after, a random man replied to inform me that “the bible doesn’t say this!” I was flummoxed.
Then I got irritated and wrote something back along the lines of “Errr…. there’s a form of writing in this world known as poetry…”. He never replied.
Sadly, this- for me, is where religion clashes with Christianity.
Religion is about rules and faith is about our relationship (with God)- in my opinion.
Here was someone was as blind to poetry as was humanly possible.
How else can this poet interpret the birth of the universe from a biblical perspective …..sheeesh!
Anyway, to save myself the headache, I promptly forgot about the comment …and him.
And I probably need to prepare to be misunderstood several more times.
After all, you can’t please EVERYONE can you?
©Vivian Zems
Poets United (189 words)
September 21, 2019 at 8:20 pm
Narrow mindedness and total lack of imagination have a lot to answer for. The same goes for belief interpreted in ways that that do not allow for anything but itself. I think you did well to forget about that individual. I would’ve done the same.
Also, “In the beginning there was nothing which exploded.” ~ Terry Pratchett 😁
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September 21, 2019 at 11:02 pm
Loooool ! Thanks Magaly!
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September 21, 2019 at 9:27 pm
Maybe he doesn’t read Psalms.
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September 23, 2019 at 7:20 am
That was my thought! Hi Kijo!😊
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September 22, 2019 at 12:15 am
You most certainly cannot please everyone! I’d say that person was having a bad day.
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September 22, 2019 at 11:27 pm
Most likely! 😂
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September 22, 2019 at 4:19 am
Well gosh, Vivian, I’m pretty sure he was right and the Bible doesn’t say that. LOL.
And I have no idea what one could say to such a comment as his, because I don’t think he’d be listening anyway. You tried!
I love your poem anyway.
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September 22, 2019 at 7:44 am
Thanks Rosemary, I bet if I’d introduced it as a song, he’d have kept quiet!
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September 22, 2019 at 11:13 am
kaykuala
It all goes down to creativity for which poem is safeguarded. As such a good poem need not conform to any known religious account. Yes, just ignore and feel free to express accordingly. Wonderful take Vivian!
Hank
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September 22, 2019 at 11:15 pm
Thanks Hank! By the way, what’s “kaykuala”?
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September 22, 2019 at 11:51 am
Just relax Vivian as poets we are a special elite and it is our jobs to to explore all avenues when we write and nobody is obliged to read our poetry they can their cheek. The mountains, streams and your poetry all have free wills!
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September 22, 2019 at 11:12 pm
Yay!!! Thank you for the support, Robin 😊
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September 22, 2019 at 12:59 pm
One of the blessings of being part of a smaller religious tradition is that I have 0% expectations that art must conform to my religious world view unless I am in a venue specifically for those with similar views. I have to laugh a little at this man who expects even artistic expression to conform to him.
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September 22, 2019 at 11:09 pm
One must laugh.. or one will grit their teeth!
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