Today’s Onestoppoetry.com challenge is to write about this photo taken by Walter Parada. As usual it is a beautifully evocative image. On first sight of the photo one word popped into my head – nobility.
Photo by Walter Parada
Nobility
See me, see my nobility-
tall, pillar-straight; strength
of stone; sheen of polished marble;
each muscle sculpted; each foot
firmly planted, sure my journey
follows the right path; my righteous
spear upholds freedom’s banner.
Follow my example
Yet – out of sight, know
my reflection ripples
with uncertainty, warped by
world’s flaws; spear no longer
flies true, banner wavers.
Where is the truth? Make
up your own mind. I am
on my journey. Find
your own my friend.
Two quotations helped this thought along :
‘Real nobility is based on scorn, courage and profound indifference.’ (Camus)
‘There is no nobility in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.’ (Proverb)
Philosophical take on the image
mmmn – bit serious isn’t it…
what you got me thinking on is how stylized the statues we have of the emperors of old must be…i wonder what they chose to accent and what they may have looked like otherwise…
well I suppose they had to look larger than life, invincible and conform to the idea of beauty of the time
Nobility, heroism et al are about perspective to some extent. And no matter how noble, a man is bound to have some not-so-noble traits. Your poem beautifully explores this dichotomy.
Thanks for commenting Margarita – nobody can be all good can they?