Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I won)
A prose poem on caring about Philosophy
Dear brother,
You say Philosophy is useless
and a waste of time,
that we’d all be better off
by being pragmatic, real.
Face the real obstacles, march against the tide
— face it all, trudge on, keep grabbing what you can.
…
Well, that’s a special school of thought —
an aperitif of realism-stoicism
with a dash of Machiavelli.
Good for you.
To have chosen the right approach to your life!
But consider if it won’t be plain wonderful
to be able to partake
in the shared wisdom of immortal believers —
who thought that life was exactly as such
and that you need to do things a certain way
to breezily sail through?
Those, my friend, are the ones
who’ve lived the tale they tell —
for living — is child’s play
should you know the rules of the game.
…
The idle thinkers — they walk the earth
and taste the taste of life,
for it is an endless smorgasbord
of despair, some delight.
Preaching is for Religion, no Philosopher ever cared
for you to be saintly and golden
for that is not the work of life.
They cared about their ways of life —
ferocious in resolve,
to live the life that was discovered
to be the best life of all.
…
To each his own, the cardinal rule.
Hence ‘schools' of thoughts…
And schools they are —
for it takes a life’s time
to assimilate, to enact.
Surely, should you attempt to study at these schools —
you’d learn the ways of the masters;
from statesmen, fathers of nations, artists, beggars, warriors —
and find for yourself
a handful of gold chips
from the stack of blessed hay.
…
Surely, it’d be grand —
to revel in the light
of a brimming arsenal
of good judgement,
grace of character,
gratitude for life —
awe of death.
…
No one alive, or dead
has any notion
of how you should live your life —
as the equation, exactly like its solve,
is unknown to ones outside.
Only you, who has the key,
to the treasure chest you own
can twist and turn, and try it all
to relish being alive.
…
A philosopher’s work of life
is exactly that
to live in accord with twists and turns
to test what works and not.
And the less grander thoughts that you have
have all been accounted for —
by many with exacting minds
and wit far sharper than thine.
For fools rush in
where angels fear to tread..
So heed the cautionary tales —
for all of life is edged with strife
with few things kind and well.
Heed the teachings, trace on your life
to find the patterns, and the lies;
remember the Eastern mystic said —
that beautiful swan of grace
picks out only weighted pearls
from the muddy swirling mess.
…
To brave to live, beyond ‘just to exist'
is a mission worthy of Time —
Fellow travellers, time and beyond
Have dared to veni vidi vici
Why not you? In your kingdom..
Winning the field of life?
…
The treasure chest awaits, but Time flies.
