Author Archives: JRL

A Boost for Sarah Bakewell

I’m now reading my third book from Sarah Bakewell. The first two (on Montaigne and the Existentialists, respectively) were really quite good, and provided writing prompts for months 🙂 #SarahBakewell #Humanism #BookSky #Writing #Philosophy Continue reading

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Sing a Morning Song

On the east edge of now, the sun rises
against a somber dawn of fading grays.
In that new light of morning, awaken,
and shake the sleep of apathy away.

What time exists is in this moment, here.
It cannot be extended or exchanged
in some transaction seeming more auspicious
or played to some advantage yet unseen. Continue reading

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Time Enough

If there is time enough for this and that, for endless hours to deconstruct ennui and countless minutes lost in might have been, then surely there is room for something more.? Continue reading

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Idle Chat(ter)

There is too much of nothing here for me to speak at length. To break it down to mere ideas would take all our strength. Instead, pretend it’s something grand, more worthy of our time. That may convince the rest … Continue reading

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Too Much is Still Unsaid

Too much is still unsaid that lies beneath
the words we loosely share in public space,
and in that gap between the truth and lies
we share what guilt there is to spare.

Our conversations tend to short and sweet,
like advert jingles meant to sell the steal
from our too willing hands caught in the till.
We keep our missives to the point and brief. Continue reading

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Here and There

You there?with the blank stare?pretending not to care?acting like you’re not even there?seeming so unaware?nothing to share?nowhere Continue reading

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The Five Pillars

I’ll write this down because I might forget, and in the morning not be as profound. The pillars underlying everything, at least the point of view that shapes my world, are time, essence, identity, impermanence, and illusion. These five interconnected … Continue reading

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