poetry – My Stoic Life

Finding My Way in Stoicism

I’m quite new to this Stoic way of living, and I’m sure that I’m not getting all of the things I could/should be doing right, not yet, perhaps never will. But I am thinking more, and more deeply about life, the things I can do to make the world a better place, as well as the things I can do to live a good and fulfilling life, on a more personal level.

I had an accident recently, one that ended up with me having a broken ankle, and an operation to fix the ankle. This meant even more time available to me to think, but I have to admit it was my broken ankle, rather than stoicism that took up most of my thinking. But I didn’t complain about anything that happened, the fixing and then healing processes were handled well, and I am grateful for all of the wonderful help I received.

And, because I’m a writer and poet, this could have been a great time to get stuck into work on my next fiction writing project, which is writing Cozy Murder Mystery novels. I did have thought about this project, that a hospital would be a fine place to have in one of these books, but I didn’t get much further than that, on that project.

Instead I began a completely new project, and I wrote poems about my broken ankle. And I’d like to think that because I am a thinking kind of person, these poems weren’t woe is me kinds of poems, but more contemplative poems. Certainly gratitude is there amongst the poems, because there was so much to be grateful for.

I contacted a publisher I know, and mentioned this ankle related poetry collection, and they were most happy to read what I had written, on the subject of “Angles on Ankles”, which is what I named this small poetry collection. Once I’d sent them the poems, and a few photographs to consider for the front cover, as well as something for the back blurb, the putting together and printing of this collection went ahead rapidly, and now, less than three months after breaking my ankle, my book is available to sell or give to other people!

The collection is of a kind named a chapbook, which is a book of only 14-40 pages, usually, but not always of poetry, and originally sold on the streets for a small price. My chapbook is being given away, or sole for $5 to interested people. I’m happy to share my words, and as soon as I’ve made the amount I paid for buying copies to sell, I may well give the rest away to people who’d like to read it.

This seems a Stoic thing, not to accumulate lots of money, but only enough …

I welcome thoughts about what I have written here – all comments can lead to great discussions, and further knowledge, a truly good thing, for sure!

A Political Poem – Stoic, Or Not?

I’ve been pondering and wondering about Stoicism and Politics, and how or if the two can do good things, if joined with a poem. I don’t know the answer to this, and certainly would like input from others, poets, Stoics, politically minded people …

This is the poem:

Politician’s Free Speech? A Sonnet

Their words inspire bad ways, not good,

I wish to clench my ears to keep them out –

they sicken me, why listen? I know I should

cleanse my skin of them, scream and shout!

Though my pores refuse to let them in,

still the hate invades my troubled self.

To listen, to hear their filth, is it sin?

I’m complicit – ghoul, not goodly elf,

for though I rightly say I don’t agree,

what I do is clearly not enough –

the price we pay for democracy,

to be invaded by this vile stuff …

Unworthy lies portrayed as honesty –

the price we pay for speech is far from free.

So, does this poem speak of politics, and hint perhaps at Stoic thoughts? I think on such matters at times, and would appreciate discussing it further. If you have thoughts on this too, please leave a comment, and we can discuss it further.

Winter Thoughts

I am a fortunate person. I live in a house with strong walls and a roof. There is heating and cooling available if and when needed. No matter the weather outside, I know I can be comfortable inside my home.

At the moment, it is winter, and looks it. I am inside, sitting near a window, with a good view of my front yard. I’m seeing what the wind is doing, blowing various things out there, with lots of branches waving around, and with clouds that are coming between the sun and my eyes, with sunshine one moment bright and clear, the next moment dark and gloomy.

I am putting in time before I get moving, readying myself to go out, to visit an Art Gallery, where there will be artworks I have viewed previously, and written poetically about, and now, if things have gone as planned, be currently displayed with the artwork and relevant poems together.

This connection of artwork and poetic response is exciting to me, and I hope other viewers can get a deeper understanding of what both visual art, and poetry can be, in viewing this, at the gallery. Understanding more about life, digging deeper into what is, to find out about what else life may be, these things are important, if we are to become the humans we could and should be trying to become.

I think on such things, and sometimes a new thought may become a new poem, as has happened today, this gloomy wintry day, lit and made brighter by worthy words, as in this new poem of mine, written this morning, connecting together some of my thoughts. I hope you enjoy the poem and thoughts that may come from reading it.

Please feel free to leave a comment, if you wish!

**Human, not Sparrow**
Warm inside outside, sunless gloom, the wind
blowing – plants, petals, clouds and birds.
Sparrows like discarded leaves, scatter, settle –
in my mind – discarded thoughts too, scatter, settle.
Philosophy – being, discovering, acting consciously
instead of just reacting, life changing, inch by inch
thought by thought. Importance of small things,
leading to bigger ones, life is not a toy, it is a tool,
using this tool to make better things, my life
your life, their lives. All deserve chances, to learn,
do, understand, to live better lives, thinking lives,
to act with thought, rather than react without it –
And so becoming the best person we can be, that
is, or should be, the role for all, living a life of good
for all, not just oneself. Consider – sparrow cares not
for all sparrows, but we are human, not sparrow …

Thank you!

Proof of Stoicism’s Value

Today I brought my calmness and wisdom into play, and worked through a problem that could have ruined me, if I’d let it. I wrote about it here, and gave credit to my learnings regarding Stoicism, that helped me to calmly work my way through something that could have stressed a person out.

Calmness in the face of problems, and working through possible problems in wise and rational ways is all a part of why I am glad to have Stoicism in my life, these days. I take my poetry seriously, and I could have lost many of my newest poems today, but I didn’t.

I’m finding my poetry has gone up a notch, and I have been thrilled with the quality of my most recent poetry written. I hope others will be impressed with my newest poems too, and I especially hope the publisher I have in mind, will want to publish my latest collection.

I had thought of never sending any more poetry to this particular publisher, ever again, but I ver soon realised they had done the right thing by rejecting that messy and ill thought out ‘collection’. It was more a rag bag of poems, some ok, some good perhaps, some quite ordinary really, and it was far from being a cohesive collection that fit together in any real way.

Poetry collections play an important part in my life in various ways, but the idea of getting a new poetry collection out is the most important way right now. But I have quietly got on with the process of getting this new collection together, it will certainly not be a rush job, unlike that rejected ‘collection’.

I have another important writing related thing going on right now as well, the Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words (Location). This is also being worked on by the sub-commitee in a methodical way, and things are going well with it. This is happening from 24-28 July, and is looking to be an excellent and interesting Writing Festival. Writing Workshops, talks from interesting and interested people, it is a writing event that is bringing in a broader audience, of community members I expect.

Calm in the face of potential stressful situations is such a valuable tool to have, thank you, Stoicism, I love what you help me with!