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Tag: humanism

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

© 2025, John Litzenberg. All rights reserved.

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Only Our Effort: villanelle

I don’t believe that gods watch us at all,
or bother with our lives in any way;
only our effort makes or breaks our fall.

Perhaps it gives us hope, such folderol,
or cheats fear-mongers of their gruesome play.
I don’t believe that gods watch us at all.

The truth is that no matter who we call,
if answers come, it’s not because we pray.
Only our effort makes or breaks our fall.

We find no mule is kicking in that stall,
just empty promise of reward, someday.
I don’t believe the gods watch us at all.

Some say that god’s an ocean, us, salt dolls;
that finding the divine, we melt away.
Only our effort makes or breaks our fall.

From dust we come, and back to dust we crawl;
there is no proof of any other way.
I don’t believe that gods watch us at all;
only our effort makes or breaks our fall.

07 JUN 2017

© 2017, John Litzenberg. All rights reserved.

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