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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

This is where the art form called "Poetry " steps in , specifically to describe POETIC CRISIS . The reason for the strange situation inbetween the land known as Israel and the land known as Palestine can only be described in the logic of a poets heart . All of the art forms that we humans practice have specific jobs to do . "Sing a new Song Unto the Lord " - Psalms 100 tells us to make it joyful -- I just typo'ed joyfun -- I like that . Only in poetic crisis can language be understood and used to develop resolution and solution . But these days , all the poets sit at a table in Nashville Tennessee figuring out words that rhyme with pick up truck , and I'm f-ked . Our favorite songs are being used as sound bites for pharmaceutical company advertisements . Our actors are in court fighting defamation law suits , our actrices are at the plastic surgeon , so we do not even have poetic faces to observe . As Maria Callas said " I do not sing my heart out on stage , I simply follow the rules of my dicipline , Bel Canto ." and this is truth . All we need to actually do is respect the art forms that already and always have existed , and make sure that they are not thefted from the next generation under the guise of capitalistic rights . Now that is a poetic crisis if one has ever existed .

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Celia Farber's avatar

Poetic crisis. YES Jennifer. Thank you.

We're surrounded by technocrats and even our friends seem obsessed only with what they call scientific truth.

C.S. Lewis always said the Psalms MUST be read AS poetry.

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Kilquor's avatar

Where?

"There (in the Psalms)… I find an experience fully God-centered, asking of God no gift more urgently than His presence, the gift of Himself, joyous to the highest degree, and unmistakably real. What I see (so to speak) in the faces of these old poets tells me more about the God whom they and we adore"

https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/reflections-march-2014/

His 'Four Loves' talk of courtly love as a poetic ideal ,unrealisable- there are shades of that in , mistaking subject for object.

Proverbs 8 revels mercilessly over mere allegory providing ameliorative sugar , instead of real , embodied ,and pre planned creative theophany .

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Pirate Studebaker's avatar

One of the greatest aids to furthering the poetic crisis is AI generated "artwork".

There are people here on substack who increasingly and persistently use AI "artwork" to illustrate articles.

Some who tout the ease of composing music and writing and researching using AI generated sources.

It will be the end of imagination and creativity. And spawn a cold rage.

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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

I noticed a flush of AI generated images on FB after Zukerberg said he was lifting the censorship thing . What is going on is this ... Images based on past performance , vs images based on either dreaming or creating . The both being flames of biological and spiritual union . This topic is super interesting to me , I am working on a series of cartoons that illustrate the locus of biological and societal based eventing . For example , the poetic crisis of the place where the eggs are laid vs the pick up bar on East 53th Street in Manhattan , Strangelove , is where we are at and what we are dealing with . How to maintain cohesion in this biological vs strategic dichotomy ? Not sure , I am working on it thought .

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banjocat's avatar

Well said, well said... I love to write song lyrics (sing/compose) and find that only through writing am I able to understand myself and those around me. There are many technically brilliant artists but they have no heart/soul in their work it seems. There is a mechanistic scientific approach to all aspects of life that keeps the God spark within us inebriated, uncoordinated, and flattened. May God help us change the frequency... and soon.

I scribbled this poem a few weeks ago trying to release myself of the anger I've been carrying after taking care of my mother until her death... Celia's post was a direct hit for me.

no one cares for poetry

or the power found in words

and when i speak in rhythms

you find it all absurd

my thoughts encased in volumes

you dare not open up

the heart might get to thinking

see the dirt inside the cup

my sister's greatest asset

this gift not recognized

she should have been my advocate

but instead she mobilized

i worked in muffled silence

i worked without a break

i used my own finances

to keep our mother safe

in return i hear the libel

as you claim i am unhinged

as you claim manipulation

all the danger mom was in

you say this from your safe space

and if all of this were true

you could have come to save her

so where the hell were you?

you were getting information

you were getting your reports

you were getting satisfaction

from the angel of the tort

a master at deflection

a politician in her heart

she'll never say she's sorry

it would blow her world apart

and as for that agreement

the loan that set you free

where once upon a promise

you'd pay it back to me

I hope you really meant it

I hope you understand

without the sacrifice i made

there'd be nothing in your hand

Please don't leave me begging

tell me i should let it go

Please don't leave me hanging

on the tree of "i don't know"

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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

this is an excellent expression . sure , its the trampoline that everything is bouncing off of ... in time , and I can promise you , your effort will have accrued an interest IF you are attentive and maintain belief .

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banjocat's avatar

Thank you Jennifer. I do feel like things are shifting inside me to a much stronger place of equilibrium. It took me feeling as if I was losing my mind but I passed through "something" and I'm just gonna keep going. Loved your poem :)

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Elaine Burka's avatar

I understand.

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banjocat's avatar

^^Like - Thank you Elaine :)

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Gloria S's avatar

I have Marshall’s well-written book, “Nonviolent Communication.” Implementation is everything!

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60Gigahertz2's avatar

I am a connoisseur of anger, and it almost got me. This was a great post. It covered just about every aspect I could think of and more...

For me, anger (and the frustration that goes with it) became my operating state for about 5 years. Sure, there was the occasional comic relief, but it was never to the bones or long lasting. Constant anger at my reality dictated that reality... until the endless acid dumps into my purple colon had whittled me down to 95 lbs, constantly bleeding, and suicidal from a prednisone-induced folic acid imbalance.

Far beyond the glyphosate poisoning that brought me to the brink, I had to learn that anger has a physical impact. That sounds ridiculously obvious now, but the operating level of mind control produced by my family, college (and all the other schools), had completely divorced me from any connection between my health, my thoughts, and my emotional state. How many others are still out there in that zone today? I hope it's a lot less than in 1995.

People still make me angry. My neighbor ripped me off. Another neighbor used me. A person I rescued stole from me. Interactions with other people carry risk. I accept that now, and try to choose more wisely with each event that presents itself.

Events still make me angry. The entire world situation looks like a glass half full most days of the week - BUT, now I know that it isn't. Not really. Billions are realizing that each of us must come together with everyone we meet and communicate well. Sustainable alternative lifestyles are emerging. Energy correction methods are evolving and spreading. Bureaucracies are reforming - voluntarily or by personnel removals. Good stuff is happening everywhere - in spite of the horrors. So, I use my brief flashes of anger as a gauge for what to do next. I'm a student of Steve Nobel (and others), and I greatly appreciate his focus on dissolving energetic cords formed by anger and negative emotion. This time, we will prevail.

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Celia Farber's avatar

wow. I appreciate this unsparing confession of living with anger more than I can express right now.

"Good stuff is happening everywhere—in spite of the horrors."

A gauge for what to do next...

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Elaine Burka's avatar

I hope so too.

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The Real Mary Rose's avatar

In my own life as someone struggling to become the best Christian I can, understanding how to love my neighbor rather than, say, crave some relief against slights, I am coming up against this at my place of work (which I am quitting from this coming week, and plan to do gracefully and with love, not in a retaliatory manner, although I have been treated abysmally).

I find my own anger to be a major barrier in my progression. It comes from trauma. A traumatized person (or animal, which I've observed in my years doing rescue), will react in a mix of anger and fear to many things that could be handled a very different way. If only our filters weren't so messed up.

That's what I'm working on - that filter. Absolutely love that first quote about once you understand it all, there's no need for anger. So anger is fear of the unknown to a large degree, of what "could" happen to us if we don't address the offensive thing right now. Rather than doing something Jesus would do, and think about it first, and finally concluding that we can solve it from a place of love even more easily than one of hate or anger. I am thinking this is especially difficult for victims of trauma, and that is why the powers that be love to visit so much trauma on us so that we are constantly in that defensive mindset.

I am also reading Dostoyevsky currently and he is a master class study in all of this.... what does anger and self-righteousness end up doing to a person? Read Crime and Punishment.

Or, read most of the world of great literature - and Greek Mythology - because it's all laid out there as well.

Anger eats one up, it's like a poison. And yet, we come so easily to it. Maybe because we are attacked on so many sides? We aren't allowed to develop inner peace? So many things in our culture are designed to make sure we do not have that luxury. Note how public spaces have loud music designed to distract one from thoughts. And notice that during the covid hoax, we were told not to find solace outdoors in the sun and peaceful nature, and how they violently put police warning tape over children's playgrounds and the parking lots at the ocean.

I think to counter this we are required to become above it all. We don't take a side - on politics, etc. Is there a good "side"? We just support and love each other. We work with people who are damaged so that they can become undamaged. And this work is very hard! It is not easy. It is the hard way to do things, but it is also simple in its concept.

Have a blessed Sunday, everyone.

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Celia Farber's avatar

Fantastic Mary Rose! That filter. Yes.

I know what you mean by "abysmally." I wonder WHY. It happens to me a lot and it freaks me out.

What sign is on my back that I can't see?

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The Real Mary Rose's avatar

I keep reading/seeing that we become neurologically mis-wired, somehow if we experience a lot of childhood trauma (CPTSD). I do not know if that is proven. However, I do think that if we keep working on it, we can change it to some degree. For me, that has been returning to my Christian roots, after 20 years of seeking resolution through psychology.

The state of the world tells me that MOST people are traumatized these days. I do know that the covid psyops was instrumental in causing massive psychosis in people, so we should not be surprised at the level of insanity we see every day.

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Elaine Burka's avatar

I hope the best for you!

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The Real Mary Rose's avatar

Thank you, Elaine. Same to you.

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Akwatsip's avatar

According to the principles of how mind functions, I believe that the need to scapegoat comes down to the psychological phenomenon of projection…self hateful and condemning thoughts of any kind are intolerable to us, so they are repressed or dissociated and then projected from the psychological shadow world onto any convenient scapegoat outside of us. This is done in the belief that projection can free us of our demons…that the hatred is no longer within us, but in some victim(s) outside of us. If we can see the hate outside of ourselves in someone else, then we erroneously believe we have freed ourselves from this. The truth is that we have actually reinforced it and multiplied it. Unfortunately this is one of the greatest forms of self-deception, and leads to the feelings of isolation, fragmentation and separation from others as well as a cascade of consequences, with violence (verbal or physical) against the one who is condemned the end result.

If the spiritual truth is that We are One, then we have essentially attacked that truth and replaced it with something false. This just perpetuates the psychological cycle of self isolation and hatred. Projection of hatred and condemnation and scapegoating also reinforces the identification of self with a body which is vulnerable, rather than spirit which is invulnerable and eternal….this also has the result of perpetuating the victim and victimizer cycle and increases hatred, and suffering.

The only escape from such a cycle is forgiveness. This is the principle truth that Jesus taught. Treat all as brothers and sisters, and turn the other cheek….forgive the members of your spiritual family for their transgressions or you yourself will never be free of them and know the Oneness and Peace of the Kingdom which is always eternally in a state of Grace and harmony. The Holy Spirit is the mediator of such a process.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus embodied in the Middle East to prepare people for these conflicts? A hotbed of ancient repressed “religious” hatreds. Of course we all need the benefit of these teachings…many are still forgiving the Covid horrors. I am still forgiving the movie “In the Shadow of Hermes” and could not sleep the night I watched it. Mass psychosis, hatred, torture and murder. Who would have thought such a thing possible? How to live in such a world and not be filled with horror?

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Celia Farber's avatar

brilliantly expressed. I will read a second time—

Jesus breaks this whole cycle. And it IS interesting that he incarnated in the Middle East.

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Pirate Studebaker's avatar

The difference between self-sacrifice and sacrifice of the other.

Jesus embodies self-sacrifice and Satan demands the sacrifice of the other.

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The Real Mary Rose's avatar

"If the spiritual truth is that We are One, then we have essentially attacked that truth and replaced it with something false."

We have, and HOW! A friend of mine and I discuss this daily. So many revelations. At this time, I can recognize how our society and culture have been designed to distract 24/7 so that people can't have a real spiritual life without doing a seemingly insurmountable level of work. It's my life's aim right now, I don't know if I'll even ever get there, being a child of this culture as I am. All we can do is try. Some of it is difficult, some of it is amazing and beautiful.

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Celia Farber's avatar

me too Mary Rose. The distractions are a threat to all spiritual practices.

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Dave's avatar

Smart phones and social media amplified the distractions to the nth degree, to the point that most moderns spend most of their lives distracted , confused and psychologically scattered.

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James Payette's avatar

It only took me 20 years to realize arguments with my wife weren't about winning a debate but hearing what was bothering her.

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Elaine Burka's avatar

I'll try to remember that with my husband.

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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

Suicide Artist

See the walking dead

Living deep inside their heads

The doors have been slammed shut

All the dreams went to bed

First they applied a leech

attached one of them to each

Each and every symptomatic

affected area within reach

That was not enough

Thoughts and feelings would not stuff

Far below the superficial surface

Of the brave and of the tough .

So then , they made a plan

“I will locate my lifespan

and just about mid way through

I’ll do the best I can

To drain away the time of day

the love the joy the abject play

I’ll show them how to fall off the horse

and never get up again .

Veins will be drained dry

Ways remain in yesterday

I will forget to feel

Or let my heart love

Or my mouth kiss

Or my eyes cry ,

There is the ultimate tattoo

Straight line from the hand to he ,

who displays the art of those departed

Cold souls in need of truth .

Ah honest blood flows over mud

Not just annihilated trust

Those artists who shine light onto the scene

They are obligated , they do not want , they must .

It is not they who frigid stray

It is not they who hate the day

It is we the walking dead

who dread the light of the living day.

Van Gogh had one ear missing

Didn't he hear or was no one listening?

Picasso drew a Guernica he wished didn't

Have to look so gruesome.

Yea - in play - the suicide artist

Takes great art the farthest

Manifest how it is to bleed to death or at least

Attempts the hardest

CHORUS :

Oh Suicide Artist

You take it way too far

Everyone is using sharpened lead

You draw with the red blood ink from your arm.

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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

poetic justice - I just got a burial plot advert on my email list -- not sure if it was the poem , or the fact that I let my cousin know I will be going to the funeral home on Tuesday for my Uncles visiting hours . ... live on and laugh !

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Celia Farber's avatar

I hate when that happens!! I am bombarded with ads for people who "die in Spain," and should purchase different things for when that day comes.

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Jennifer Arnold's avatar

Parasites are invading our language transmission systems .

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banjocat's avatar

^^Like... boom! have to read this one a few times... let it sink in

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Shona Duncan's avatar

I call it 'putting my walls up' and it is a response to being totally rejected by close family because I stopped loaning money. I can transfer the wall building skill all over my life and it works. I am happy with my books, coffee and my cat. I am a rock. I am an island.

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Elaine Burka's avatar

It was a lesson that took me decades to understand and desire, I am my own best company. And my puppy's and kitty Love. 5 years ago Dec. 26, 2024 My husband and I had a dog reincarnated back to us in a 7 month old puppy! We lost our cat last July I'm sure because of chemtrails and got him back 47 days ago in a new body. In a 5 Year period however the changing consciousness into another body works, my husband and I were blessed with TWO returns!!

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FlyingAxblade's avatar

right, it's not the "thank you"

it's the "you are doing a good job"

not even, "you did a good job"

I do a lot of helpful things around here in the middle of the night when I take my Rottweiler on Prayer Patrol. I kinda hope to not be seen making the neighborhood cleaner, straighter, safer...except by those who are responsible for the need for me.

The reason I can type this here is to be an encouragement to people that think they can't get up at 2 am & walk 2 blocks praying for houses, finding out their names or like "Bumblebees house" "firepit house" "pregnant people house" which even though they had the baby 3 months ago, I have altered the prayer to be for all, especially believers & extra spiritually for the pregnant that are unjabbed. I wave to the other neighborhood houses on a cul-de-sac because I met that family when they were moving in & everyone seems concerned because my dog walks sans leash. He speaks Russian & Spanish commands, not English...very smart dog.

I am Excommunicated from my church because I would not get jabbed & I spoke out against it using the Bible in the Greek as well. 5 years of being ALONE. so I have to sneak around the churches when no one is there & take care of the properties without power equipment.

I pray outloud, not loudly, making sure my voice is on the wind.

I sound like a pathetic preacher telling people...if you got jabbed you have to repent (not do it again) & personally you should recant (like piers morgan has) to your congregation or community that you dun did wrong & you will not do it again. I pray fervently for a revival of the repentant.

°Cherish° "Fondly remembered, best left unspoken" as per Solzenhitzen guy that spended time in the gulags.

_Cherish is the new love, be well._

*May God nod to ward thee & thine!_

P.S. I am a highly qualified woodsman, enough so I don't gun. Even though the capability has been honed. So iffin you are not & feel compelled to Prayer Patrol yourself after work during the day etc. you should be openly armed like a Pilgrim Patriot.

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Pirate Studebaker's avatar

I don't understand why anger is wrong. It's not in all instances. That's obvious.

Neither is accusing or blaming. Also obvious.

Though I will state the obvious - If someone wrongs another in a truly harmful way, anger is justified.

Anyone who thinks Jesus used anger as a way to manipulate the haste in which the temple was cleared is reading more into the story than is written.

Jesus was angry at the disrespect and defilement of God's house of worship by turning it into a place of commerce. Rightly so.

If no one is accused of wrongdoing or blamed and held responsible the likelihood of more people becoming victims of the perpetrator is virtually guaranteed.

Which is more jet black? Allowing perpetrators to continue victimizing others or rightly accusing and blaming perpetrators in efforts to stop them?

This is not a perfect world. In the right circumstances anger is the right response. Anger isn't always reactive. An angry response can be considered and thought through and appropriately expressed as anger. Accusation and blame are the correct responses to crimes perpetrated against another where harm is the result.

Perhaps the real downside to anger is that an unskilled angry response can be harmful while a mature handling of anger can be very productive.

The same for accusations. And blame. Jesus accused others of being hypocrites, unfaithful, children of the devil, liars, dead inside, prideful, lustful and more.

It seems to me He taught us how to use and handle anger and accusation and blame appropriately. Just as He taught us how to pray and love God and one another and so much more.

It doesn't seem to be a matter of denying the full range of thoughts and feelings but instead how to use them to the glory of God. We have nothing to fear. Not even ourselves.

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Walden Mathews's avatar

Rosenberg was good, and so was Janov, who claimed that whenever there is anger, there is underlying need and hurt. The disorder is that people stay in anger as a defense against feeling the devastating hurt and unmet need. Hence it takes on a life of its own. No one can force another to either see or change this.

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A.M.'s avatar

Bravo, a lot of food for thought here. A lot to think about, many nuances. This has a personal application for me at the moment, as well--but so it is helpful to think about anger and dynamics, needs and communications. Thank you.

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Lo's avatar

The delusions of an impossible promise are certain to show any collective the most available & unnoticeable sacrifices, while realization and any implication escapes all those involved.

Good read, thank you.

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zdb's avatar

thank you

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gregory wales's avatar

In my opinion, it's an understanding/explanation of "Love thy neighbor as thyself".

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Elsa's avatar

very interesting exploration.

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