A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Saturday 11 January 2020

Engaging with the Inner Eye

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
'The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.' - Francis Bacon
'A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.' - John Keats (Endymion)
It is the inner eye that sees most. I used to know couple who, to all outward appearances, might well have been described as ugly, yet they entertained a lot and friends always enjoyed visiting them  because they were such warm, friendly people who not only took a genuine interest in others, but would always lend a helping hand and ear to anyone in need. Their physical appearance was irrelevant; after a few minutes chatting with either of them. one forgot it as an inner beauty shone through.

Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder.

ENGAGING WITH THE INNER EYE

There is a beauty in ugliness
only they can see
who can warm their hands at hell’s hearth
and still feel an affinity
with nature

In the ugliest of creatures
there beats a heart
and will to live more splendid than anything
thought up by the art
of egocentricity

In the foul-smelling swamp
of human desire
left to its own devices for want of any insight,
find a lotus flower
shaming us

Yes, an ugly side to beauty,
often seen as worldly,
invariably posing for the press at hell’s hearth
and claiming an affinity
with nature

There is a beauty, too, in beauty
that’s a rare poetry,
braving the daily cat-walk of green-eyed gods,
yet can still feel empathy
with beggars


Copyright R. N. Taber 2009

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012.]

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,