Monday, September 27, 2021

12-Sided Cosmic Prayer

For your consideration, one of many 12-sided copper and bronze-alloyed objects unearthed in Europe and attendant islands. They are of Roman origin, around 200 AD and earlier:

"The dodecahedron  is the shape used for embroidering the constellations of heaven." --Plato (circa 400 BC).

Whether it was an early form of dice in crapgames or sacred object really makes little difference. These objects of astonishing antiquity have been found all over western Europe and, for me, compose a...

            Prayer

 Lord, in discord we have 
Fought  catastrophes,
Turned and run
To what is dear.
Now, on our knees,
We are moved to ask:
Please, can we not
Improve from here,
Instead of Armageddon?
 
 --------I had hoped to make this a 12-lined poem but only managed 9. The tardy 3 lines doubtless exist in the future but currently exceed my depth. Is anybody working on this? Best of LUCK to all of us. 

12 comments:

  1. An offering---

    Can light lead us
    from the dark despair
    to hope and purpose fair?

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  2. Beyond my ability, Geo. I hope you garner many fine examples, triangles, so to speak.

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    1. Dear Joanne, triangulation is a wondrous way to determine coordinates, but I got a D in high school geometry. Have tried to improve over the past century but find the dodecahedron more manageable --except for spelling, which I've never been good at either.

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  3. What an interesting object and a lovely poem.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Dear Janie Junebug, the objects reflect a mastery of metallurgy and geometric precision. Whether Plato's suggestion that the form expressed the shape of the universe, I still don't know. But I needed to do a poem about it. Thank you.

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  4. Definitely beyond my capabilities, but that never stops me from at least trying…….

    But, if it’s so
    the end is near,
    may I love where I go.

    PipeTobacco

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    1. Dear Prof., a palpable hit! Thanks!
      May we go where
      Love may grow.

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  5. That's an amazing artifact, Geo. Who knows what other wonders have been lost to the ravages of time; maybe there have been many other wondrous things that we will never know about.

    I agree with your poem's sentiment and hope you find your other three lines in the fullness of time.

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  6. Dear Geo, fret not, your missing three lines are there somewhere, they just need to be discovered and excavated, and will in due time.

    Hugs,
    Julia

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    1. Dear Julia, most encouraging! Thanks. Those 3 lines are doubtless out "there somewhere", and I am out here somewhere. As you say, "in due time."

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