Brain Matter or Bone Marrow

Brain Matter or Bone Marrow

Modern poetry  modern verse  contemporary poetry  contemporary verse

“Stefan Büttner (‘Inspiration and Inspired Poets in Plato’s Dialogues’) acknowledges the frequency with which Plato accepts the possibility of inspiration and admires its benefits. The experience of inspiration is in some way part of nous, akin to forethought and foresight, lacking mainly the systematic rationality of other modes of intellection.” ~ http://ndpr.nd.edu/news/plato-and-the-poets/

I ask you, “Whom would you prefer to follow,

The poet, or philosopher, or both?”

The poet prays to porn star Apollo.

The poet does not pledge a sacred troth

To wisdom.  Poets find another way

To truth outside Athena’s temple.  So

As noble as her brow may be, the sway

Of epic and of lyric helps us know

Inside our guts.  Philosophy is cold

As mathematics.  Furthermore we think

Philosophers can find out every fold

In absolutes and label every link

In knowledge flawlessly.  The human mind

Needs both, perhaps, to keep us well aligned.