Find the point of rest
and wait
for the universe
to come around.

What must happen in the mind when we write?
First, a fact must be imagined, or a motion.
Our concepts still the image, hold it firm.
Our emotions move its focus, draw us in.
The words come after to name the parts,
then sentences to make the pictures,
arranged in paragraphs to give them life.

Lived Experience

To lose one's way.
To have a body.
To be a person.
To become oneself.

People who think well are good at using concepts.
Are people who feel well good at using emotions?

We try to discourage them
from going down
the roads we have known
and succeed only
in giving them the courage
to go further.

There is no honest time to leave a summer masquerade,
but if you catch a woman's eye then why not go that way?

(With apologies to Leonard Cohen.)

Your wisdom can no more justify your philosophy than your love, your poetry.

Philosophy is as much an art as poetry.
Poetry is as articulate as philosophy.

Some Applications

of "poetry" and "philosophy"

To be good (in this world) your emotions must be strong. Their strength comes from lifting, from pain. You must feel the weight (of the world) through them.

To find truth (with our history) our concepts must be sharp. We whet them in contemplation, hone them in conversation. We must think on the edge (of history) with them.

What Is Philosophy?

Cf. "What Is Poetry?"

Philosophy is an art. It is the art of writing down how (not what) you think.

Philosophy makes you think better. It makes you better able to think, better at thinking.

Concepts are how (not what) we think. Philosophy makes your concepts more precise.

Precision in thinking is clarity. Philosophy is clear.

Philosophy is conceptual notation, the art of writing concepts down.

Philosophy makes you think better by getting you to notice your concepts.

What Is Poetry?

Poetry is an art. It is the art of writing down how (not what) you feel.

Poetry makes you feel better. It makes you better able to feel, better at feeling.

Emotions are how (now what) we feel. Poetry makes your emotions more precise.

Precision in feeling is intensity. Poetry is intense.

Poetry is emotional notation, the art of writing emotions down.

Poetry makes you feel better by getting you to notice your emotions.

Cf. "What Is Philosophy?"