"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls..."
- P. Simon
And also on old Toyota pickup trucks parked in the alley! The first time I passed this truck in St. Paul it brought a smile to my face and moved me to thought. That's what prophets and poets do; their words disturb.
The words stenciled on the side of the truck are: "DARE TO DISTURB THE UNIVERSE."
It's a line from T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" (ok, I had to look it up). In the poem it is in the form of a question: "Do I dare disturb the universe?"
Do I? Eliot calls this the "overwhelming question." This is also the poem with the famous line: "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." The poem muses that there is time for a hundred indecisions before tea. Do I dare? Do I dare?
The poem and the Toyota (and its owner) point to the need we have to live out loud, to create, to choose and to act, to do express what is in us to the world. But it also speaks of the hesitancy, the fear, the worry over exposing ourselves, standing out, making mistakes, being wrong and looking foolish. The aging Prufrock (with a bald spot like me) is caught between desires: to express or to repress. The choice is by no means easy.
The prophet who owns the Toyota speaks to this Prufrock in a Garbage Truck: I dare you...
Oh boy can I relate to this post. And the debate. Maybe I should blow some dust off of my T.S. Elliot books. Or dare to disturb. At any rate, I enjoy your posts and wish you would write more.
ReplyDeleteI dare say that I've never dared to disturb the universe....but, this post makes me want to try and think of some way to do so!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama. I enjoy your writing too. I will try to write more, write now, for example...
ReplyDeleteHeather, I hope you have created some disturbances since you wrote...
My heart was broken i never believe i will get back my ex again until Dr LOVE brought back my ex within 24 hours with a powerful love spell. He is reliable for positive result contact the spell caster for love spell on email: { placeofsolution@yahoo.c om } or whatsapp on 1 443 281 3404
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thanks to Dr.Agbazara for bringing back my lover to me within 48 hour. I have nothing to say than to Thank you and to let you know that i am happy.. My Lover treats me better and he spends most of her time with me now telling me how much he loves me than ever before.. If you have any problems with your lover contact Dr.Agbazara via email: ( agbazara@gmail.com ) or WhatsApp +2348104102662 because he is the solution to every relationship problems
ReplyDelete