Accept reality, or: Don’t

Posted on by ben Alexander

A sijo

Whenever I compose verses \ based on my perception
of the truth, I'm always wondering \ whether they themselves
are the ones creating \ the reality they're describing

It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

–Mark Twain (1835-1910)

40 thoughts on “Accept reality, or: Don’t”

  1. Interesting thought…
    I’m an artist first (though not a very successful one, I’m sorry to say) but I’ve also been writing stories for decades. I also began delving into creating comics and while working on one I realized something. It felt as if my characters had taken on lives of their own and I was just the schmuck who was sitting there taking dictation. I fought it at first, “No! I don’t want you to do that! You need to do this!” Eventually I just gave up and said, “Yeah, just do whatever you want, I’ll just draw it out and write dialogue, you guys take the spotlight, whatever…” That’s what this reminded me of. My characters seem to start creating their own realities and I’m just there to write down what’s happening. That’s how it feels, anyway. You put what I’ve been feeling into words perfectly!

  3. I know this quote and love it, David. It always sends my mind in the direction of Kierkegaard, especially his dialogues with Hegel, and so does your poem. If we were to believe Kierkegaard, then our minds create our reality, and your verses are certainly products of your mind, ergo your question is answered.

  5. What a GREAT quote!
    Thanks. It just came at the right moment as I have to record a podcast and being interviewed about truth on Monday evening.
    Thanks a lot
    Klausbernd ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. before I forget David, this may be of interest:, ultimately also for the poet you are… a retired prof of religious studies, Darrell J Fasching, The Ethical Challenge of Auschwitz and Hiroshima. I have only scanned the 9 pages I could find on google so far, but there he says his concern is that religions can bring about evil as well as good – and if I understand correctly, one finding is the danger lies in separating sacral from secular and one of his suggested solutions the routes of Tolstoy, Gandhi an MLK Jr – civil disobedience, A quote that fascinated on p8 was humans have the potential to create new worlds… (he calls it utopian which is a term that does not sit too well with me so far, I need to look into that some more).

      2. ps what are the specific wonders/strengths you are gifting your daughter with through Russian and Hebrew, Id’ be interested to learn as well (just having quoted your take on English which I have just quoted to someone else and wholeheartedly agree with).

          1. sure; but you qualified the English language meant loving complexity of truth – so suddenly , while doing something else, wondered what the other languages might mean…

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