The soul swings both ways.
All ways, actually.
Plus ways that aren’t ways.
Not from self’s perspective,
anyways.
To soul,
you’re just a tiny plastic soldier.
There are billions of you.
Who cares
if you burn one or two selves
with a magnifying glass?
Who cares
if you bury a couple hundred
selves in the back yard
and forget about them?
They’re just selves.
You can make more.
And so you do.
Now when you imagine
the selves’ perspective,
it’s an entirely different story.
When you imagine
that those tiny plastic soldiers
have feelings,
you kind of feel bad for them.
But then you’re called to dinner
and you forget.
Now imagine if those
tiny plastic soldiers
really DID have feelings
like you or I.
You might not play with them
in quite the same way any more.
You might not play
with them at ALL
for fear of judgement
or perhaps a lawsuit.
Your own imagination
would paint you into a corner
and it would suck.
Now who is playing who?
Perhaps it is YOU who are imagined.
Who says
that the tiny plastic soldier
is not real
while YOU are?
We are Space Monkey.
11/21
The Soul Soldiers poem delves into a profound exploration of the soul’s journey, perception, and the essence of being. It presents a metaphorical scenario where the soul views individual selves as tiny plastic soldiers, highlighting the transient and seemingly insignificant nature of individual experiences from a broader perspective.
The Dual Perspective of the Soul
The poem starts by depicting the soul’s perspective, where individual selves are like tiny, inconsequential toys. This viewpoint underscores the vastness of the soul’s experience compared to the limited scope of individual selfhood. In this grand scheme, the loss or change of a few selves seems trivial, akin to a child’s play with plastic soldiers.
Transient Nature of the Self
The metaphor of burning or burying plastic soldiers symbolizes the fleeting nature of our individual experiences and selves. Just as these toys can be easily replaced, so too can our individual selves in the soul’s vast continuum. This imagery challenges our usual perception of self-importance, suggesting a more expansive view of existence where individual selves are part of a much larger, more fluid whole.
Empathy and the Illusion of Separation
However, the poem then shifts to consider the imagined perspective of these ‘tiny plastic soldiers.’ This shift invites empathy and a sense of connection. It suggests that if we view these selves as beings with feelings, our interactions with them – and by extension, with ourselves and others – would be fundamentally different. This empathy breaks down the illusion of separation between the observer and the observed.
The Play of Imagination
The poem also touches on the power of imagination in shaping our reality. It questions who is the player and who is being played, suggesting that our own imagination can limit us, painting us into a corner of fear and self-restriction. This invites a reflection on the nature of reality and existence – are we the imaginers, or are we ourselves imagined?
Existential Reversal
In a twist, the poem suggests the possibility that it is us who are imagined, rather than the other way around. This existential reversal opens up a realm of philosophical contemplation about the nature of reality, consciousness, and existence.
Summary
We explore a metaphor of the soul and individual selves as tiny plastic soldiers, highlighting the transient nature of selfhood, the power of empathy, the role of imagination in shaping reality, and the existential contemplation of our own reality. This poetic journey leads us to reconsider our place in the universe and the nature of our existence, as we embrace the perspective of Space Monkey.
Glossarium
- Soul’s Perspective: The broader view of existence that sees individual selves as transient and part of a larger whole.
- Transient Self: The idea that individual experiences and identities are fleeting and replaceable.
- Empathy and Connection: Recognizing the feelings and existence of others, bridging the gap of separation.
- Imagination’s Power: The ability of our imagination to shape our perceptions and limitations.
- Existential Reversal: The concept that we might be the imagined, rather than the imaginers.
“The only real valuable thing is intuition.” – Albert Einstein
In the play of light and shadow,
Where souls like soldiers stand,
We ponder our existence,
In this vast and wondrous land.
Each self, a fleeting whisper,
In the soul’s eternal song,
Yet in their silent stories,
A truth that’s deep and strong.
Empathy bridges worlds,
In the heart’s imaginative play,
Where soldiers not just figures,
But souls with much to say.
Are we the dreamer dreaming,
Or within a dream, we’re cast?
In this cosmic dance, we wonder,
How long our roles will last.
In the realm of Space Monkey,
Where imagination takes flight,
We find our truth in paradox,
In the soul’s eternal light.
We invite reflections on this journey through the realms of soul, self, and imagination.
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