Ouroboros.

 

One

 

Exhaled a sigh,

breathed Aeon into being

Effortless Aeon billowed

and Kosmos coalesced

uncurled from clustered cloud

Kosmos blinked Present

remembered pining for a Past

and so commenced Time

Time designed a tapestry

to inscribe eternal passage

upon this matrix Life was spun

within Ephemeral Life

each separate

thread locks horns

in desperate strife,

to weave itself

into

 

One

 

 

 

Author notes

Biting it s own tail - this is my take on the essence of it all. Derived from Libellus XI of the Corpus Hermeticum.

Comments

• right now

  Adding your comment:
• 
  Iorek
  October 4, 2007
  
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  *holds both thumbs up and goes looking for another*

  You know, I always like to do the number rating thing (silly as it is) just because I think it allows you to quickly identify which bits were awful/average/stunning. And soemthing I notice every time I do it, is that form never ges above a four. never do I look at the form of a poem and go "Yes, that is perfect, the form of that poem utterly and perfectly reflects it's content". I won't say the "until now", I think it's kinda implied
  
  I just think it's brilliant that from a title, a look at the overall form of the poem, and reading the first word/line, I could guess where you were going, in a very good way.
  
  You've obviously worked like buggery to get this as neat and concise as possible, with as much information and weight as possible conveyed with every word. Then you embellish with a dash of alliteration here, a pinch of enjambament here (okay, more than a pinch) and... yeah, I think I should give up critiquing your use of language, cause I don't think I've ever read a poem of yours where I haven't just raved happily.
  
  Oddly enough I've been reading Tertullan of late, and was looking up a few things on wikipedia (cause some of my knowledge of what he's talking about is a bit sketchy) so when you mentioned aeons I had this little image of that bizarre aeon "family tree" on wikipedia (if you've seen it). And my mind went "Breathed aeon? Which one!?" Not knowing your source material, I wasn't quite sure if you were just saying "eternity" in a kinda "creation" sense, or if you were using it in the "god" sense.
  
  Ah wells, ttyl
  Chris

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    November 16, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Apologies for not replying earlier.

    And a million thanx for your generous comment, Iorek. Aeon in this context alludes more to eternity but of course the two concepts are interlinked - biting eachothers "tale" as it were.
    Cheers!
    
    gG
• 
  celestialpie
  August 7, 2007
  Edit | Reply
  PS, You might be amused to know-- during my convalescence I had a very Carollesque respite, supping on morphine and re-reading Alice. Too bad pipe dreams go up like the smoke they are.
• 
  celestialpie
  August 7, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply
  Hey, Simon. I've been off-line and off the site for a while, so sorry it's taken me so long to comment on this one.
  
  I have always been intrigued with the Corpus Hermeticum. And, as always, I am always thrilled to be a soul-journer in the realms fantastic, especially as imagined by you. I love the very words you used here-- Aeon, Kosmos, matrix, Ephemeral. This poem is like a little bit of sacred geometry in itself. In between those words, lay lines thrum, my spirit threatens to jump ship from exaltation and terror alike.
  
  Excellent work, as always.
  
  Lauren

  . Rewarded 8
• Dun
  July 14, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply

  No beginning and no end,

  but eternity.
  
  Every particle has intelligence, else why could it obey the laws of physics? We are comprised of a matrix of coalesced and cooperating tiers of particles, each in obeisance to the other to create something greater than itself. In learning to give that obeisance we also contribute to the greater One and contribute to purposes greater than ourselves . Who knows but what we in our cooperation comprise? Should the hand say to the foot, I have no need of you? We'd all be screwed without cooperating body particles. How are we screwing the greater body of one when we fail to cooperate with the eternal laws of building and giving rather than destroying and taking?
  
  This is what I took away from your poem and I love your work for that reason, it causes my thinking to ascend to higher planes than usual. Very thought provoking. More, please.
  
  Al
  
  p.s. When we destroy, we destroy ourselves. When we build, we build ourselves. Every action returns unto the doer and we shall become what we do.

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 21, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Great comment Al!

    A more holistic view of things as you describe would no doubt be of immence benefit to create a deeper insight within the crazy minds of our world´s destroyers - those "Illuminati" bastards. Heheh.
    As always mate,
    Rearguards
    
    gGoesaround
• Terry-too
  July 11, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply
  Succinct, circular --that was my word, but I see you used it too,-- symmetrically special in the condensed fashion of diamonds, created under immense pressure and cut to multifaceted perfection. Strangely I did not have to go beyond the fourth line to know where the content was leading, and thus enjoyed it all the more.
  When Time encounters Intellect, sudden miracles happen.
  Thank you for this.
  Terry

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 21, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Cheers Terry!

    As always you hit the nail effortlessly right on the noggin!
    Warmest
    gG
• 
  Windhover
  July 2, 2007
  Edit | Reply

  Us poets are SO up our own arses...

  ..and here is elegant and poetic proof-positive. It's succinct, it's thoughtful, it's philosophical, it's deep, it's pithy, it's pretty and it's poetic. Centering the text almost NEVER works for this reader but this SO does. You are one clever bastard. Kudos. >W<

  . Rewarded 6
• 
  Saraesa
  July 2, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply

  A strong explanation...

  Time is such a fascinating subject. It's one of those subjects of life that is undefined but taken into the hands of human kind to provide structure, dates, and memory.
  What you wrote perfectly compliments the picture and in this, you wove it into one with your format, just as you expressed that we all long to do. I see that as a main drive in lives as a whole.
  Starting the poem with the word 'one' and ending it with the same word really does wrap it together.
  
  "Kosmos blinked Present
  remembered pining for a Past
  and so commenced Time
  Time designed a tapestry
  to inscribe eternal passage
  upon this matrix Life was spun"
  
  This is my favorite stanza. 'Time designed a tapestry'
  How wonderfully worded.
  
  I hardly no what else I can say to this. It is a divine subject that I couldn't define as well as you have.
  
  Nicely done and quite thought provoking. You'll have me thinking the rest of the day about this.
  
  xSynth

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 21, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Cheers Synth

    Time is indeed an ineffable provider of logic-quandries. It s very impermenence makes it hard to fathom. At present I´m trying to wrap my sore brain around the shamanic concept of zero-time in the spiritworld. Suffice it to say my noggin´s reduced, during such musings, to slush! I´ve been discussing variables on our perception of time with among others Terry/Deecrepit here at SP - this has aided my addled thoughts to focus on the bare bones of a minimalist attempt at creating a poem out of what is essentially the hermetic world view. There are plenty of other facinating pov s from other cultures especially Eastern ideas, but a firm favourite of mine is from the Neolithic Goddess "religion" where they split Time into "bios" short cycles/lives within a much longer period of "zoe". Time in many respects could be just our sensory awareness of the vibrations that make up existence.
    Thanx for your kind and generous critique Synth.
    Mucho regards
    gG
  • • 
      Saraesa
      July 21, 2007
      Edit | Reply

      I can see how...

      ...a topic like this would turn one's brain to slush. Endlessness is a tough thing to consider. And all these ancient cultures are so beyond me that when I read this I realized I needed to learn more. So thanks for the description of the Neolithic Goddess.
      It's good to see someone who dares to delve deeper with such a universal subject.
      And you're quite welcome gG. It was a pleasure to read.
      
      xSynth
• 
  Lad
  July 2, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply

  The ancient and enduring Gnosis...

  ,,,the Brahman, the Absolute, the Prime, the Mystery - all the Being that lies beneath the masks of human invention - I think you've created a masterful poetic Creation Story to underbe all Stories. Very appealing poem, Simon.
  The still-life progression of One to Aeon to Kosmos to Present-Past to Time to Life to Ephemeral Life to Interweaving Struggle to, be-what-it-is, One. Nice. And, to recall the old Vedas: Tat tuam asi - all of that, my son, thou art!
  I can sense the perspiring labor that went into this one, Simon, beautifully hidden under fine style. A triumph of sight.
  Lad

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 19, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Thanx a bundle Lad!

    Hermeticism is indeed highly influenced in my opinion by the Vedas. Thanx for pointing that out. In sight we shall see.
    Warmest regards
    gG
• dave ochs
  July 2, 2007
  Edit | Reply

  what happened to adam and eve?

  hey gG-thats ok leave them in the garden. i like this version better anyway but not as much as the hindu version of kali.
  
  anyway mythology aside, the logos according to heraclitis says everything is one. if only we could realize that. good message and write.
  dave

  . Rewarded 6
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 2, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Cheers Dave

    Adam and Eve were eaten by the serpent - the ouroboros.
    gGulp
• 
  himanshumodi
  July 2, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply
  Hey...
  
  I dont really know about Aeon and Kosmos and all in the mythological sense. They might mean a lot more to you then they would mean to me. My only encounter with them must have been in some Fantastic Four/ Silver Surfer comics which involves some intergalactic action.
  
  Which is why this whole poem has a very Marvel-Comics feel to it for me. Ofcourse the comics arent poetic. And you are. I did love the flow from one to aeon to kosmos to present to time to life... Really cool...
  
  I liked the idea of One to begin and one to conclude. But really wish I knew a lil bit about whats going on to have enjoyed this poem.
  
  I did enjoy it in my own way nonetheless...
  
  Cheers.

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 2, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Wham! Pow! Kthoom!

    Heheh. Comix can certainly be poetic Himanshumodi. Ever read any Alan Moore, Stan Sakai, Neil Gaiman etc?
    Even commercial super hero comix derive their plots and characters from subliminal avatars suffused within human consciousness most of the time. Covert (often unintentional) symbolism is rife in popular litterature. There is a long tradition of this because of the way true and meaningful gnosis has always been either suppressed or misrepresented by the ruling powers/reigning religions.
    Bards and story tellers often convey deeper truthes than priests and mullahs who are mainly concerned with retaining their own powerbase than enlightenment of fellow men AND women (there are exceptions of course).
    If you have the inclination or opportunity check out Libellus XI - Poimandres of the Corpus Hermeticum or just look up some of terms I ve used on the web.
    And thanx as always for a provocative comment my friend!
    MigGhty Regards
    
    gGalactus
• 
  Kiddy
  July 2, 2007
  
  Edit | Reply

  Soul is one, Life one, matter one!!!

  Dear gG....
  
  Somewhere I've read about Aeon, Cosmos and becoming. I was trying my best, long ago, to understand what was said to everyone through the big “ONE”…..It took me a few solid months to understand what was the significance of that ONE…..
  I understand this little poem in my way…. Spun within ephemeral life says to me about (deathlessness and lastingness only on heaven and) change and destruction on earth.
  
  This Poem gives to my understanding, how life's been given a start with the Power of God(Aeon) into Cosmos and Cosmos, becoming.
  
  Great lines:
  “Time designed a tapestry
  to inscribe eternal passage
  upon this matrix Life was spun
  within Ephemeral Life”
  
  Elevated way of saying how time has framed one’s life and death is engraved on man’s short life.
  *Shakes Head*
  Dear gG… I don’t know how correctly had I made my interpretation…. On reading your poem, these are all that crossed my mind.
  Cheers
  Kiddy
  
  

  . Rewarded 8
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 2, 2007
    
    Edit | Reply

    Cheers Kiddy.

    Yeah sure, your interpretation is wholly valid! And your way of explaining this is poetic and spot on.
    In a way this is the simplest poem I´ve written and this is probably why it took a half year of rewrites to bring it to where it is now: a work in perpetual progress.
    Thanx.
    Warmest regards
    
    gG
• 
  adorasmum
  July 2, 2007
  Edit | Reply
  Very interesting read. The reference to ourborous and its symbolism for a circle of life and infinity. Then the use of Aeon and then life being spun. Very strong.
  
  I liked the form of the poem. The use of 'one' to begin and then to end was obviously to parallel the essence of the circle. Very thought provoking. I think that all your poetry is intriguing.

  . Rewarded 6
• • 
    gnosisonG
    July 2, 2007
    Edit | Reply

    Thanx Adorasmum.

    I worked my booty off trying to condense the universal cycle of life (god that sounds Disney!) into a bite-size segment. Too condensed and it became boring however so it was a case of every-word-counts.
    Thank you for your kind words that count for me.
    gG