Poetry – Wake up – the fourth and last of my humanist, secular poems.

Posted on by Opher

Poetry – Wake up – the fourth and last of my humanist, secular poems.

P1010084

Wake up

This was the fourth and last of my humanist, secular poems as part of Dave Kingsbury’s secular rituals.

I am not sure if it is possible to create a ritual that is not daft no matter how laudable the aims. Every time I look at a ritual and analyse it it looks remarkable silly. I can’t watch a coronation or bishop’s address without suppressing a smirk. All those ermine robes, big hats, raised plinths, thrones, maces and crooks (aptly named) – the jewels, incense and glitter. It is all designed to elevate an ordinary person above everyone else – so transparent it is laughable.

Your highness.

It has to be an elaborate joke, doesn’t it?

But then the modern druids with their headdresses and robes doing all their rituals look completely daft. I bet they all change into their suits and go back to the office on Monday.

The Kings, Queens, Popes, Priests, Imams and Bishops are all merely ordinary people dressing and playing a part. They are no different to you and me.

So quite a challenge Dave.

But we fall for it. We love the spectacle. We bow down before the high and mighty and assume that, because of all the lavish dress and ritual, they must be better than us, know more than us, and be worthy of their eminence. Perhaps it gives us comfort and security?

Can we have an egalitarian ritual? Over to you Dave.

 

Wake up

 

Wake up.

For it is better to see

Than to be blind.

To kill is to close your heart.

Feel the breeze

And drink deep of the water

That gives life.

Feel the soft soil,

The sun and warmth;

See the mauve of the distant hills

And watch the sun slip

Quietly below the land.

Praise the light.

Praise the warmth.

Praise the water.

Be thankful for your life.

Nurture it with all your might.

Turn away from death

And breathe.

 

Opher 14.3.2016

If you enjoy my poems or anecdotes why not purchase a paperback of anecdotes for £7.25 or a kindle version for free.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anecdotes-Weird-Science-Writing-Ramblings/dp/1519675631/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-3&keywords=opher+goodwin

Or a book of poetry and comment:

Rhyme and Reason – just £3.98 for the paperback or free on Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhymes-Reason-Opher-Goodwin/dp/1516991184/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-4&keywords=opher+goodwin

My other books are here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opher-Goodwin/e/B00MSHUX6Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1457515636&sr=1-2-ent

Thank you and please leave a review.

Poetry – This moment – the third in my humanist secular ritual poems for all people.

Posted on by Opher

Poetry – This moment – the third in my humanist secular ritual poems for all people.

P1010061

This Moment

To give thanks for life is enough. It is not necessary to attribute a creator. To give thanks for the universe does not need to imply an intelligent force. To acknowledge the beauty and wonder does not require a supernatural force.

It is sufficient to feel it, take joy in it and exalt in the beauty, wonder and awe.

Each one of us is free to believe whatever they like.

Whatever a man or woman may believe does not detract from the ecstasy of experiencing each moment to its fullest extent.

Each moment is precious.

Life is short.

Our task is surely to maximise our experience and love, love, love.

 

This Moment

 

Through many roads and twist of fate

We come to this moment.

We are thankful

For the string of moments

We will possess.

For these moments

Are our window into the world.

 

It is better to experience

Than not.

It is our time

In this moment

To soak in the wonders

Until our spirits

Are saturated

With wonder.

 

We are thankful

To have evolved brains

That contrive consciousness

And reason,

A body that has evolved

With the ability

To realise the splendour

Of this planet.

 

Opher 14.3.2016

If you enjoy my poems or anecdotes why not purchase a paperback of anecdotes for £7.25 or a kindle version for free.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anecdotes-Weird-Science-Writing-Ramblings/dp/1519675631/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-3&keywords=opher+goodwin

Or a book of poetry and comment:

Rhyme and Reason – just £3.98 for the paperback or free on Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhymes-Reason-Opher-Goodwin/dp/1516991184/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-4&keywords=opher+goodwin

My other books are here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opher-Goodwin/e/B00MSHUX6Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1457515636&sr=1-2-ent

Thank you and please leave a review.

Poetry – How wondrous – for a secular, humanist ritual

Posted on by Opher

Poetry – How wondrous – for a secular, humanist ritual

P1030655

Secular Rituals

Human beings have a great need for rituals. We go in for uniforms and pageant. Our rituals tend to be militaristic or religious. Dave Kingsbury (of the great blog – A nomad in cyberspace) thought that it would be a great idea to write some secular rituals that acknowledged the wonder of life; rituals that did not require belief, religion or celebrate violence.

It sent me thinking.

This is what came out. I’m not sure if it’s a poem or a secular psalm. I see it as part of a humanist ritual.

 

How Wondrous

Wondrous it is to open your eyes into this universe of beauty.

Wondrous it is to behold the splendour of the stars, sun, rocks and trees.

Wondrous is the ecstasy of life.

For with our eyes we see,

Our ears we hear,

As all our senses penetrate

The mysteries that surround us.

 

The wonder of moon and sun,

Of sunset over sea,

Of grass rippling in the breeze,

The splash of stars

Across a velvet heaven,

The sigh of love,

The thud of drums,

Vibration of strings,

The tinkle of water over rocks,

The crash of waves,

Skeletons of trees against an orange sky,

Shapes of clouds against an agonising blue;

The oranges, yellow, reds and greens

That flood the eyes with beauty –

The wonder of life.

 

Opher 14.3.2016 (For Dave)

If you enjoy my poems or anecdotes why not purchase a paperback of anecdotes for £7.25 or a kindle version for free.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anecdotes-Weird-Science-Writing-Ramblings/dp/1519675631/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-3&keywords=opher+goodwin

Or a book of poetry and comment:

Rhyme and Reason – just £3.98 for the paperback or free on Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhymes-Reason-Opher-Goodwin/dp/1516991184/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457515636&sr=1-4&keywords=opher+goodwin

My other books are here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opher-Goodwin/e/B00MSHUX6Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1457515636&sr=1-2-ent

Thank you and please leave a review.