{"id":1913,"date":"2008-11-14T14:42:35","date_gmt":"2008-11-14T18:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnesimpson.com\/blog\/?p=1913"},"modified":"2022-11-15T14:35:12","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T19:35:12","slug":"on-the-inside-looking-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/johnesimpson.com\/blog\/2008\/11\/on-the-inside-looking-out\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Inside, Looking Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Raven's<\/p>\n

From whiskey river<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Stone<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go inside a stone
\nThat would be my way.
\nLet somebody else become a dove
\nOr gnash his teeth inside a tiger.
\nI am happy with a stone.<\/p>\n

From the outside the stone is a riddle;
\nNo one knows how to answer it.
\nYet within, it must be cool and quiet
\nEven though a cow steps on it full weight,
\nEven though a child throws it in a river;
\nThe stone sinks, slow, unperturbed
\nTo the river-bottom
\nWhere the fishes come to knock on it
\nAnd listen with eyes of dead roosters.<\/p>\n

I have seen sparks fly out
\nWhen two stones are rubbed.
\nSo perhaps, it is not dark inside after all.
\nPerhaps, there is a moon shining
\nFrom somewhere, as behind a hill;
\nJust enough light to make out
\nThe strange writings, the star-charts
\nOn the inner walls.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(by Charles Simic)<\/p>\n

Not<\/a> from whiskey river:<\/p>\n

I Often Contradict Myself<\/strong><\/p>\n

I often contradict myself.
\nOh no, I never do.
\nI argue with me day and night.
\nThat simply isnt true.<\/p>\n

Oh yes it is. Oh no it’s not.
\nI do this all day long.
\nOh no I don’t. Oh yes I do.
\nThat’s right. No way! It’s wrong.<\/p>\n

I’m really quite agreeable.
\nI argue night and day.
\nI love to be around myself.
\nI wish I’d go away.<\/p>\n

So if you see me arguing,
\nit’s certain that you won’t.
\nI like to contradict myself.
\nI promise you I don’t.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(by children’s poet Kenn Nesbitt<\/a>)<\/p>\n

F<\/span>inally: The Missus and I saw the group Celtic Woman<\/a> on tour a couple-three years ago. Although their voices are almost unbearably sweet, one of my favorite numbers — actually a back-to-back pair<\/em> of numbers — was instrumental: “Ashoken Farewell” and “Contradiction.” Of those two, the first really sang to me; if you remember the PBS\/Ken Burns The Civil War<\/em><\/a> series, you’ll probably recognize the tune.<\/p>\n

Again, this is an instrumental performance. (It’s by fiddler M\u00e1ir\u00e9ad Nesbitt of Celtic Woman — through most of the show, a manic dancing dervish of a leprechaun-like presence, but not here… not at all<\/em>.) Nonetheless, the piece does have lyrics (added some time after the tune itself was composed), and these appear below the video.<\/p>\n