ART: EPIC: "Outlook To See"

E. Shaun Russell (e_shaun@uniserve.com)
Wed, 22 Jan 1997 22:51:49 -0800 (PST)


I figure that it's been a few months since I've posted one of my
longer poems to the lists. It was written quite some time ago, so please
notify me if you find any major fallacies. (It's written without normal
punctuation for a reason, BTW.)

Outlook to See

I. Be Yonder, Beyonder

So life isn=92t easy when you know its true source
And days aren=92t long enough to let things run their course
But I ask what can be done about the way things just go
And I ponder the meanings of things I=92ll never know

So things aren=92t strong enough to hold under your fears
And valleys aren=92t deep enough to provide haven for your tears
But without reason I try to let my heart just work it out
And my silence makes your violence less than a shout

But can you see what is done?
Can you win what can=92t be won?
Can you try to overcome your pain?
Will you fail or will your madness reign?
Can you sentence your truth=92s lies?
Will you provoke your mind=92s sighs?
Will you play the martyred-model role?
Or will merit remove from you your goal?

So the victor of a fall from pressured grace is so often overseen
And the knowledge of life=92s treasure trove is a secret clandestine
What might be the purpose of the world so unevolved?
That eternal, immortal, infinite question can it ever be solved?

By you?
By you
What they=92d said -was it untrue?
By you

II. Apocalyptic Condolences

The mountain of peace brought to ruin by starlight
The river of depths never drowned out by the night
As I dream what can happen and if I can ever have a part
The sounds of wars unattached to me beating like a second heart

Soldiers just like wolves -prowlers seeking psalms from dark
Finding solace in the principles but baring teeth, ready to bark
Not to cast a shadow upon the floorboards of the earth
But to live and die impeded is that what our thoughts are worth?

But do you even hear what I say?
Can=92t you see it won=92t go away?
Will it matter what I try to do?
Must I leave it all up to you?
Can=92t I stand up with my own legs?
Can=92t I do what my free will begs?
Will you destroy all that=92s germane?
Or will all that is relevant still remain?

III. Ethic=92s Brutal Code

When I was raised I was taught how shameful it was to need
And freedom was not what the programming had decreed
And now I see it just isn=92t right
To go out without a fair fight

Isn=92t it a false preparation to be confining the newly dead
How can we know the meanings of life if they are just said
Theories held together by the =91democracy of love=92
To go down to the ground only to soar out beyond above

To you?
To you
What they said -was it all true
When there were lies were they from you?

And the dire consequences of the manchild=92s judgment day
The arm=E9d Armageddon=92s of the scholars through who they slay
Turn their heads from wisdom to see their blood soaked hearts
Arrows flung from bows, bows crafted from body parts

Strangling the unspoken trying to make them live again
=91Cause words can mean the world if they=92re structured from deep pain
You see the horrors unleashed by those who know not what they are
And where do you fit in to save us --where and how far

Where are you now?
Never there to keep
Where are you now?
There=92s a planet here to reap

And I know you are wide and I know you are vast
A universe is splendor and is presently future=92s past
Our world is being slandered by the people just like me
But I have no way out of it no celestial extropy

IV. Machine Heredity

Our programming has failed we must abort original plan
Our goals have truly paled is this the end of man?
Wandering like sheep --just robots with no aim
Waiting for an order by a space without a name

Our individual pursuits have been assimilated by the whole
Just a pack of prone recruits, just abstract without a soul
Waiting to be led by a god or impetus
Better to be left for dead than have a force commanding us

Like you?
Like you
What they say will it be true
Like you

Humans are all just ready robots
But over them we have one advantage
Where they take what is merely given
We can refuse the program=92s phage
To live must we first die?
For to die we must first be
With the eyes of the blind
I can still see

By: E. Shaun Russell

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~~~:~~~> E. ternity E. Shaun Russell
:~~> E. xpansion e_shaun@uniserve.com
:~~~> E. xtropy Extropic Artist,
Transhumanities editor for
All life is art, --kineticize your potential. Homo Excelsior Magazine=20
http://www.excelsior.org
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