"All of my genius is in my nostrils." Nietzsche, Notebooks, Summer 1886-Fall, 1887
Your peculiar proboscis perturbs
Prehensile, fit for a Pinocchio
The way it probes your pipe disturbs;
This is parodic self-portraiture, no?
Are painters and philosophers liars?
They both create their representations;
Of their works, there will always be buyers--
Beguiled by their prestidigitations
What does smoking your own, huge nose reveal?
Snotty visions, or odoriferous dreams?
Metaphysics’ bouquet doesn’t smell real;
Epistemology’s moldy, it seems
Your candle flickers as your nostrils flare
To ask what your nose knows, what fool would dare?
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Writing Love
"I will now initiate you, she said, into the greater mysteries; for he who would proceed in due course should love first one fair form, and then many, and learn the connection of them; and from beautiful bodies he should proceed to beautiful minds, and the beauty of laws and institutions, until he perceives that all beauty is of one kindred; and from institutions he should go on to the sciences, until at last the vision is revealed to him of a single science of universal beauty, and then he will behold the everlasting nature which is the cause of all, and will be near the end. In the contemplation of that supreme being of love he will be purified of earthly leaven, and will behold beauty, not with the bodily eye, but with the eye of the mind, and will bring forth true creations of virtue and wisdom, and be the friend of God and heir of immortality."
By D. J. Reddall2 years ago in Poets
Comments (3)
What does smoking your own, huge nose reveal? Snotty visions, or odoriferous dreams? Metaphysics’ bouquet doesn’t smell real; Epistemology’s moldy, it seems Hahahahahahaha I loved this stanza the most! You did a brilliant job!
What a picture. What on Earth is that all about? Did Magritte do other pictures with pipes? Great sonnet, by the way.
Love the last line. And fabulous choice of art!