A few philosophical poems over the years -

DIALOGUE between Emotion and Reason

Emotion:    Get out of bed.
Reason:       I’ll stay instead.
Emotion:    You’ll need to relieve your bladder.
Reason:       No matter.
Emotion:    Then you’ll lie in pee.
Reason:       That doesn’t worry me.
Emotion:    And stink and grow sore.
Reason:       Therefore?
Emotion:    And become ill.
Reason:       Big deal.
Emotion:    And die horribly, you stupid twat.
Reason:       So what?

     1967
 

Psychologist Jacques Lacan (1901 - 1981) gained a reputation for deep insight by writing incomprehensible nonsense. (Derrida had the same sort of success.) One of his popular themes involved the notion of the Other.

FOR JACQUES LACAN

Jacky leans on his spear,
left foot on right knee,
black as a Drysdale shadow
bitter as drovers’ tea.

Through the red desert
this old French mother
wandering and calling -
O Other! O Other!

Hark! A Fark! answers!
No, just a finagle -
the crow-favoured tongue
of Hegel and Jegel.

     1999
 

The Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea (?490 - ?430 BCE) was the creator of ‘Zeno’s paradoxes’, such as Achilles and the Tortoise, the Arrow, the Stadium, &c.

ZENO OF ELEA

Zeno of Elea
Said, ‘Motion’s a stupid idea.
And as for claiming the continuum’s infinitely divisible,
That’s risible!’

     2005