Brain Matter or Bone Marrow
“Stefan Büttner (‘Inspiration and Inspired Poets in Plato’s Dialogues’) acknowledges the
frequency with which Plato accepts the possibility of inspiration and admires its benefits. The
experience of inspiration is in some way part of nous, akin to forethought and foresight,
lacking mainly the systematic rationality of other modes of intellection.” ~
http://ndpr.nd.edu/news/plato-and-the-poets/
I ask you, “Whom would you prefer to follow,
The poet, or philosopher, or both?”
The poet worships the god Apollo.
The poet does not pledge a sacred troth
To wisdom. Poets find another way
To truth outside Athena’s temple. So
As noble as her brow may be, the sway
Of epic and of lyric helps us know
Inside our guts. Philosophy is cold
As mathematics. Furthermore we think
Philosophers can find out every fold
In absolutes and label every link
In knowledge flawlessly. The human mind
Needs both, perhaps, to keep us well aligned.