A Journey To The End Of Empire: It Is Always Darkest Right Before It Goes Completely Black

[marmar]

Published on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Common Dreams
A Journey To The End Of Empire: It Is Always Darkest Right Before It Goes Completely Black

by Phil Rockstroh

"When the poet stands at nadir the world must indeed be upside-down. If the poet can no longer speak for society, but only for himself, then we are at the last ditch.”— Excerpt from, The Time of the Assassins, a study of Rimbaud, by Henry Miller

There is no reality-based argument denying this: The present system, as defined by the neoliberal economic order, is as destructive to the balance of nature as it is to the individual, both body and psyche. One's body grows obese while Arctic ice and wetlands shrink. Biodiversity decreases as psyches are commodified by ever-proliferating, corporatist/consumer state banality.

But the raging soul of the world will not be assaulted without consequence. Mind and body are intertwined and inseparable from nature, and, when nature responds to our assaults, her replies are known to humankind as the stuff of mythic tragedy and natural catastrophe.

"When the poet lives his hell, it is no longer possible for the common man to escape it."— Excerpt from, The Time of the Assassins, a study of Rimbaud, by Henry Miller

But take heart. As the saying goes, it is always darkest right before it goes completely black. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/01-0

[xchrom]

1. Excellent. Nt

[raccoon]

2. Recd and bookmarked to read later. nt