Poem: "Puzzling People"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem came out of the December 2, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl.  It was inspired by prompts from shadowsculptor and ng_moonmoth.  It also fills the "_____ Made Us Do It" square in my 6-10-14 card for the Fanbingo fest.  This poem has been sponsored by ng_moonmoth.  It belongs to the series Path of the Paladins, and falls between "Our Most Vulnerable and Powerful Selves" and " Enlighten

Comments

[technoshaman]

Pepper and vinegar? some people like that... :)

That first verse has a very.... classical Chinese... feel about it...

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Pepper and vinegar? some people like that... :) <<

People make salad dressing that way too, usually with the addition of oil or honey, but spiced vinegar is a low-calorie version.

>> That first verse has a very.... classical Chinese... feel about it... <<

Yay! I'm glad you liked it.

[shadowsculptor]

A little bit unsettling to think of our mortal lives as a game played by the gods. Definitely food for thought. It reminds me a bit of the classic Doctor Who episode where the Eternals played war games with what they called Ephemerals (mortals-- including the Doctor, who is often perceived as immortal but isn't). Granted, in the case of your poem, the game isn't necessarily inherently harmful to the game pieces, though it has the potential to be. I wonder how the concept of free will fits in there. Is there such a thing as free will if every choice is, by virtue of being a potential, explored and branches into a parallel line of existence? I'd like to think it still factors in there somewhere.

Anyway, just some rambling and somewhat incoherent thoughts. Very well-executed and thought-provoking poem!

Well...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> A little bit unsettling to think of our mortal lives as a game played by the gods. Definitely food for thought. <<

The prompt asked for this, which is a classic trope, but specified that the game be beneficial to the mortals instead of malicious. That set it aside from all previous iterations I've seen.

>> It reminds me a bit of the classic Doctor Who episode where the Eternals played war games with what they called Ephemerals (mortals-- including the Doctor, who is often perceived as immortal but isn't). <<

That makes sense.

>> Granted, in the case of your poem, the game isn't necessarily inherently harmful to the game pieces, though it has the potential to be. I wonder how the concept of free will fits in there. Is there such a thing as free will if every choice is, by virtue of being a potential, explored and branches into a parallel line of existence? I'd like to think it still factors in there somewhere. ... )

Re: Well...

[siege]

"I am a loaded die. You know this, but you insist on playing with me. I guess you understand where this is going."
-- Me, to a god of close acquaintance.

Re: Well...

[ysabetwordsmith]

LOL I must remember to use that myself.