excess is
theft—listen and learn
silence, to
be empty–
awareness opening out
side the cage of you
For the NaPoWriMo prompt Day 25, we were to read and listen to James Schuyler’s “Hymn to Life” and then do a number of suggested exercises after free writing for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes of combined reading and free writing I was unable to go on. “Hymn to Life” is everything I don’t like in poetry–overwrought, self-indulgent and self-centered, a string of random loosely related observations that pretend to be profound–taking way too long and using way too many words to (maybe–I didn’t finish) say something meaningful. What point was he making? You can tell me life is a circle in a lot fewer and more illuminating words. Had I been his editor, I would have suggested reading Basho.
Or perhaps he should have listened to John Cage…
K. 
excess is theft – a profound statement, Kerfe.
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Thanks Robbie. That thought is a variation of my first response to the poem. But it seemed true of other situations to me as well.
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I think it is very deep, especially given our modern and excessive world and culture.
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I can’t say I’m always a fan of minimalism or Cage, but that poem did seem excessive.
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I agree–you don’t always have to strip things down to bare bones. I can be quite excessive as you know. But you need to have a reason for what you are doing. It should add to something, not take away from it.
Cage has grown more relevant to me over time. He certainly always invites thinking (if not arguing…)
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There’s some definite Zen going on here. Nice.
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Thanks Ken. As someone who tends to overdo, the discipline of Zen is a good practice and reminder to think about the necessity of my choices.
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Hihih, I like your honest review and response poem. We may have a Cage in each of us, but of course, I’m on the side of (M)excess (not his kind though).
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I like excess myself, but it needs a reason for being. You are coherent and understandable. I’ve learned a lot from those who pare things down….how to be more precise about my excess. The layers need to be chosen thoughtfully.
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