Image provided by Willow Poetry
We Never Even Noticed
How we solaced in the truths of our elders,
to hold to pristine shibboleths of hollow ground
that all was hallowed in a superstition
of moralised purity,
that we promptly set in stone,
and there we held you in mawkish admiration
so unfounded, somehow projected,
believing that you held us too
because we were so good at our own game
given to saccharine views of life,
there we were, fulminating righteous wrath
against love itself
the very given of nurture,
and we called on your name as talisman
without so much as a fibre of authenticity
preferring indulgent expectation
dressed and redolent in disconnect,
and you, imprisoned in your architrave,
looked on in sorrow and wept
in your powerless state where
our dogmas kept you,
yet you dared to ask from your eyrie
disturbing our common good,
What moved us or
how did we reach into the pain of neighbour?
Indignant silence was
followed by sanctimonious justification.
Your loud shout of anguish rent the air
then a mighty crack
as you effaced in surrendered humility,
recognising our inability to be aware
so selfishly content that
love was adulterated,
poisoned,
defunct,
perpetually crucified,
and we never even noticed.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul, pvcann.com
parallax 
What a wonderf ul word…shibboleth. Seems as we get older, we discover these things we once thought usefull, only to be a pain in the arse.
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Yes, like some straight jacket. Thanks Tom.
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Wow. A powerful statement!
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Thank you Ana, in my view, if you call yourself something then be that, in this case – Christian – don’t say you are when you are clearly more akin to the slippery serpent. For me integrity is crucial. (Rant over) 🙂
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I thought that rant was excellent!
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“Call & Responsed” you ending w/ tribite poem on “Timeless Classics”
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They’re loving it — it’s already been reblogged. 😚
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I am so grateful.
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Stiffen up a few backbones 😎
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Yeah 😎
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Yeah.
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How delightful, many thanks indeed Ana
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Think it’ll do folks some good!
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I hope so 🙂
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I’m pretty sure, bro! 😅
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🙂
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Very kind – my blood was boiling.
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Righteous.
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Thank you I will take that.
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It’s a hard gift to give ourselves — glad I was on hand to reflect you accurately. You go, boy 😚
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Glad to have an aware ally
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You’ve given me that gift so many times, and so generously. I’m grateful for the opportunity to return your good energy, my friend.
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Such a lovely compliment, thank you
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😊
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We are mere flawed mortals, I wouldn’t expect anything other.
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True, but there are some who play at it, for me the core of life is integrity.
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Yes, I know what you mean. Using it as a bludgeon than a code of living, it’s an ugliness I try not to think about.
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Ah, you’ve hit the nail squarely, so true Jade.
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I thought of a specific person when I read that. “and there we held you in mawkish admiration….without so much as a fibre of authenticity
preferring indulgent expectation…” He makes my blood boil.
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Sorry and yet also not quiet, this came from a blood boiling moment, yet I am in awe that it connected, thank you Tracey for sharing that.
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They seem all too frequent at the moment.
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I feel that too.
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Wonderful and powerful poem Paul. The way politicians have used social media to hypnotize the masses.
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yes, and western religious leaders too, so manipulative, so appreciate your response Rupali.
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Sad.
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Indeed.
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This is wonderful. Great use of language and a powerful message.
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My blood boileth over, thank you so much Chris.
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Potent!
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I was boiling, thank you Punam.
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I could get that! You are welcome, Paul.
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Very powerful. Thank you very much Paul! You made my day! 🙂 Michael
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This was very personal Michael. Thank you for the encouraging response.
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Thank you for sharing Paul! Have a nice day! Michael
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Pleasure 🙂
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🙂
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Wow, powerful indeed!👏👏
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I was boiling a bit, thanks so much Richa.
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Wow. Powerfully written. I heard the question: If there is a God, what does s/he think of our posturing? We so often miss the essential points of life, like caring for our neighbour’s pain.
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Nailed that VJ – that is the core of it.
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I often wonder what God thinks. Surely not what is being pushed as “religious”.
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No, and the “religious” are so destructive.
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Unbelievable.
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Powerful – amazing poem
>
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Many thanks Lyn 🙂
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The play is over for many of us who endured. What an incredible statement/poem, Paul. Thank you.
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Appreciate that so much, yes, born out of my own journey and the frustration of those still sticking with the past and the distortions. Thank you indeed.
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You wrote a meaningful piece Paul.. Thank you.
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🙂
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Power packed.
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Thank you very much for that, much appreciated.
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What a way to send a powerful message across!
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Paul – such a powerful poem! The lines “there we were, fulminating righteous wrath
against love itself….we called on your name as talisman without so much as a fibre of authenticity….and you, imprisoned in your architrave, looked on in sorrow and wept” made me weep with anger and sorrow in the truth that you so eloquently state. Thank you for giving voice to this.
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Wow, thank you for the wonderful reflection and sharing your response too. My pleasure.
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💐
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Pingback: What do you See? Roundup June 11/2019 | Willow Poetry
All so enjoyable.
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I had to look up three words! I am indeed too human –
Perhaps I have not been noticed by those up on higher plains of existence?
It is indeed very credible what each of us has recognized in this destroyed image.
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Yes, I have really enjoyed the responses, as you say, credible recognition. Thank you for sharing that Jules.
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