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DO WE BELIEVE
Posted: 03 April 2004
Word Count: 97
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What are we but beginning of time
striding forth to start of life
not knowing where we go
follow Moses to a land of plenty.
Did we ever see the promised land
land of plenty
was it just a life to come
of pastures new
Have we reached it yet
or should we just forget
are we in heaven or just in hell.
Should we ask to remove this spell.
Rising of the spirit to go forth
walk amongst us, untold
roll away the stone
nothing there
Do we believe?
is it true?
not sure
are you?
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Comments by other Members
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 miffle at 20:20 on 04 April 2004
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Alice, a philosophical and spiritual poem and one that seemed, to me, more serious than many of your other poems - i.e. in a different voice. Here are some thoughts:
* poem seems to me to be about faith / a questioning of faith (Doubt) and Faith, yes (as you suggest) is linked with ideas of Blindness too i.e. 'blind faith'... It is Faith because we believe without all the answers to our questions...
* poem sees biblically inspired i.e. references to Moses, promised land, land of plenty, and also to Jesus and Easter. Jesus and Easter reference, of course, very apt.
* reminds me of the quote 'is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream ?' i.e. how do we know if we are asleep or awake, in heaven or in hell?
* reminds me of the hugeness of Life - of infinities of time, spirit.
* stanzas 2 and 3 - I get a sense of you feeling short-changed... Promises unkept...
* 'should we ask to remove this spell?' - was the only line I would query - I'm just not sure about the word 'spell'' here (?). Perhaps, for me I'm just not sure that it fits the solemnity of the rest of the piece (?) - i.e. it's the one word that would seem to me to be in conflict with the biblical references (?), to me suggestive of witchcraft, paganism... (?). Perhaps, for me, it dilutes the poem a little (?) i.e. the rest is so rooted in biblical images.
A few thoughts for you Alice. Write on, Nikki :-)
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Skeetr at 10:03 on 05 April 2004
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Alice,
A thought-provoking piece. You ask questions the reader is forced to answer for her/himself. Deep stuff and Did we ever see the promised land is a particularly arresting, provocative line.
Best,
Smith
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roovacrag at 15:04 on 05 April 2004
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Did we ever get the promised land?
My daughter in law disagree with me.
Hope others
state their views
welcom all
xx Al
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The Walrus at 20:35 on 05 April 2004
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So many questions, so few answers.
Reminded me of Larkin's 'Days':
Ah, solving that question
Brings the priest and the doctor
In their long coats
Running over the fields
Good piece, as always Stan.
The Walrus
xx
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