Fighting Rationalism

 

The rationalist must reduce,

It’s in their nature.

Pragmatic logic insists,

On conformity of thought,

Anomalies will not be tolerated,

Measurable verifiable data,

Equations balanced,

Algorithms written,

Formulas deduced,

Universal laws obeyed,

But shadows still linger,

The face behind the face,

Unconscious chaos,

Irrational processes,

That feeds the soul.

Ah but we have no soul,

For logic deems it thus,

No individual light,

Only predictable

Chemical reactions.

And biological impulses,

And our bones rot into

Infinite night,

Not for me,

Give me wisdom

Beneath cool moonlight,

And wild gypsies songs,

Give me anarchist poems,

And the strange happiness

Of religious folk,

Give me anything,

But your sterile world

Washed in monotone grey.

(C) Paul Martin

What is it to look beyond rationality to the shadows that still linger? What do you sense in those shadows?
What is it you want. Write a poem that begins, Give me… and list all the things your heart longs for.
In what ways do we still need irrationality? How do you break from pragmatism and feed your soul?

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