Belonging - Sept 12 2020

 

Belonging

Sept 12 2020

She said recognizing your mortality

is not only about death.

That being mortal also means you belong,

along with the rest of us

down here on earth.

On a troubled planet

in the mess of humanity

and just as fatally flawed.

So mortality

is about belonging

as much as it is departure.

A need all of us share,

as certain as death

and fundamental as breath

and as urgent a drive.

One of the billions

of misfit souls,

muddling through

down here on earth.

Where, despite their immortality

even our gods are imperfect;

the scheming pantheon

on Mt. Olympus

who trifle with our lives,

or the Old Testament God

who is quick to temper

and slower to learn.

Who demands obeisance

and judges sternly

and is often so insecure,

demanding flattery and praise

from his subjects and acolytes.

An eternal ever-after

amidst the heavenly host.

Or mouldering in a grave

consumed by worms,

where the soil will subsume

our mortal remains

and return us to mother earth.

The ultimate belonging

where all ends converge,

closing the circle

on life and death

and whatever posterity there is.

I would really rather get away from these philosophical poems (and certainly  poems that touch on death!), but something I heard on a podcast immediately had me saying to myself "there's a poem there"; and later when I sat down to write, it's all that came to mind. ...I think it came out well, despite the unfortunate subject! (Here's a link, if you'd like to listen: https://nadiabolzweber.com/203-abby-wambach/)

When we think about mortality, we often forget that “mortal” also means feet of clay: so it's not just about death and eschatology, it's also about humility and belonging. When we say we “are mortal”, we are saying that we are flawed. And also that we are all in this together, contending with failure and heading toward death. ...While who has heard anyone ever say “Hey, I'm a mere mortal, what did you expect?”when they're enjoying success and celebrating life?!!

I had a few other ideas for "scheming pantheon". Because as little as I know about ancient history and Greek theology, I do know that those Olympian gods were very flawed, up to all kinds of shenanigans, jealousies, deceits, infidelities, and rivalries. Feuding pantheon? Fractious pantheon? But I settled on scheming because it just sounds right, somehow less technical and more emotionally evocative.

Obviously, this comes from the pen of an atheist who believes death is final, and who does not privilege the Christian god.  Although Jewish is probably more exact: because while Jesus is all about love and forgiveness, the Old Testament deity has a lot of slavery, murder, maiming, infidelity, bad temper, and hair-trigger smiting going on!