A thousand waves sparkle
With lights not their own
The sea’s golden beauty
Is a trick and a loan.When the water undresses
And cold darkness remains
The ocean is ugly
And its cruelty reigns.The hearts of men sparkle
With lights not their own
Man’s goodness and beauty
Is a trick and a loan.
__________________________
When I wrote this, I’d recently been staying at a place with a good view of the ocean and some time to be contemplative. #Blessed Is there something inherently beautiful about the ocean, or is the source of the beauty the sunlight that is reflecting haphazardly from its surface?
To be honest, I’m not entirely certain I believe my own writing here, but the goal was to consider. It’s certainly true that the ocean in the dark, and in its midst, is a much different experience than during daylight and from a beach. Perhaps though it is a disservice to the waves to discount their role in scattering the light that touches them.
The comparison with mankind is a philosophical or a theological one. Does love and beauty originate from within, or is it a thing that is given or learned? Do we reflect the love we receive from our parents, or from the divine, or from the Mangani great ape who raised us after our parents died as a the result of being marooned on the African coast by mutineers?
Dusty Writes 
4 responses to “Lights Not Their Own”
But it’s a loan we never have to pay back, huzzah! Also despite being part of pop culture I had no idea that’s the origin of Tarzan. Apparently I’ve avoided every version of it all my life? Unintentionally?
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The WB had an 8 episode pilot for a Tarzan show 20ish years ago that was actually really good – at least for a show on the WB. Travis Fimmel (Ragnar from Vikings) was the lead. I remember being ticked off that it got canceled.
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Not being familiar with the man’s work I’d be curious to know what kind of storylines they do with Tarzan the ape-man. After he’s thwarted poachers a few times what comes next? Corporate sponsored military coups? Jane Goodall turns out to be an evil witch?
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Doe Tarzan’s “Jane” predate Goodall? Alternatively, maybe the character came first and inspired her life choices.
Either way, I’ve heard Goodall complain about the need to dramatically reduce the human population at WEF stuff, and whenever I hear people casually talking about how we need to have 6 billion fewer people in the world, I question whether they should be in charge.
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