#bertrand
When we see what some people are dishing out,
we know what Bertrand Russell was talking about:
"The stupid are cocksure, the intelligent full of doubt."
When you meet someone who thinks he's clever,
but seems much too confident in his endeavour,
and talks to you non stop and forever and ever.
When he acts like a prophet defying convention,
never admitting a lack of comprehension,
promptly has a cure for everything you mention.
When he hands out his advice on a silver platter
convincing you that his opinions matter,
you can be certain, he's as mad as a hatter.
Jul 14, 2021
Jul 14, 2021 at 3:53 AM UTC
Norman Rockwell and Jim Unger
Artists from my past
I've met one but not the other
A memory that will last
Who the hell is Bertrand Russell?
I asked over a drink
A man who changed the world forever
Changed the way we think
I remember the Norman Rockwell painting
It's burned deep inside my mind
But, I have got a copy
It's the best one that you'll find
An artist unknown to others
But, a special one to me
My father drew old Russell
It's quite a piece to see
It's never been inside a book
And never will it be
But, Bertrand Russells' wrinkles
Mean a lot to me
Jim Unger and his Herman
Were a favorite of my brother
The artist and his humour
Were unlike any other
We met him at a signing
My brother brought his art
He showed it to Jim Unger
He broke my brother's heart
My brother was an artist
Just like my Dad as well
Their art, not for the public
Their art, was not to sell
Their art should be remembered
Their art should be displayed
Like a vintage guitar sitting
It's better if it's played
So, now two artists pictures
Hidden for an age
Will be shown, for everybody
On a printed page
I give you first, my brother
Ian Turner was his name
No longer is he with us
But, this will show he came
The second one, my father
John Turner, is his name
His drawing days behind him
But, man did he have game
So, here for your enjoyment
Rockwell via Turner number one
Followed by Ungers' Herman
That was done by Turner's son
Jul 12, 2020
Jul 12, 2020 at 9:57 AM UTC
I was still feeding when the book was shut, I was reading!!
Is that what the fly was thinking to itself,
it got stuck at 'quibbling', the least appealing word
in a book on problems of philosophy.
Were you attracted to the two b's
I'm sorry, I didn't notice you
But you died by the words of a profound thinker
He'd have been proud to know you landed on
Philonous' dialogue with Hylas.
I'm sorry, I didn't see you fly by
you didn't die, in my mind. But
it is your mind that matters
if you were paying attention to Philonous.
You were most certainly a fruit fly
sorry I squished you
were you after the fruit of wisdom
I tried to flick you, but you stayed stuck
I admire you for sticking by words
You mean something to me, now that you
are dead, I think.
But that means you are alive in my mind
This is an ode to you
the wisest of flies
You ate the fruit, that hides in plain sight
humans are flies are humans
we seek the fruit that diminishes
gives us the feeling it nourishes
not the fruit that grows when it falls
its the fruit of knowledge you sought
this is an ode to you fly and fruit you sought.
Jan 4, 2017
Jan 4, 2017 at 8:05 PM UTC