In Hell's Despite

This rocket's Going Nowhere

It's travelling so fast.

In one end goes the future,

Out the other comes the past.

And we are on a mission 

As we hurtle through the Night,

To build a Heaven in Hell's despite.

This rocket's Going Nowhere,
The hull is full of holes.
No one navigating,
No one at the controls.
No one said it would be easy
On our maiden flight,
To build a Heaven in Hell's despite.

Link: "In Hell's Despite" (wr. Peter Blegvad/Andy Partridge), performed by The Schramms

Photography:  Strange Phase Studios

Anixamander (Something Else Is Working Harder)

 

 
          "It is not easy, however, to see what manner of control could be exercised on all things by Anaximander's Indefinite.  The Greek does not necessarily mean that the steering is due to the enfolding -- both properties independently are natural ones for something conceived as divine -- but it probably implies it.  

                 Again, the metaphor of steering does not necessarily entail a conscious and intelligent agent, for the steering of a ship can be regarded as a purely mechanical process, with references to changes in direction imposed by the steering mechanism and not the intentions of the navigator.  

 

           Yet the archaic theomorphic, and thus to some extent anthropomorphic, conception of the primary stuff favours the assumption of purposeful action.  Possible methods of control are the following:  

               (1) by means of surrounding or unfolding; either 

                          (a) by preventing the further expansion of the differentiated world ('all things'), or 

                          (b) by making good the waste involved in change in the world; 

               (2) by being immanent in all things, or some things, and providing either 

                          (a) motive power or life-force, or 

                          (b) a principle or rule of law of change; 

 

                (3) by having initiated the world in such a way as to provide a continuing rule of law of change."

Excerpt from G.S.Kirk and J.E. Raven, The Pre-Socratic Philosophers, A Critical History With A Selection of Texts, Cambridge At The University Press, 1971

Top image:  Anaximander.  Detail from Raphael, The School of Athens, 1509-1510, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City.

Center image:  Anaximander's world map.


Lower image:  Perspectives of Anaximander's universe.


Something Else Is Working Harder (Peter Blegvad) (click to listen)

Bee Dream (Blegvad -- Greaves)

Each of us has in our soul

A portion of Eagle,

A portion of Mole.

One soars in the sunlight,

One snores in a hole.

The mountain, which looks like a prop

Is black at the bottom and white at the top.

Soldiers surround it with twine;

I have to cut through it

To claim what is Mine.

The summit is marked by a tree;

My double in uniform challenges me.

He says “is the tree mine?”,

I say "tap it and see."

So he drives in a platinum spout,

He turns the tap on and all this jelly comes out.

Royal Jelly, which I have stored in this tree,

In an earlier lifetime, when I was a Bee.

Yeah, I’m a King Bee, though my wings be furled,

And my kingdom is not of this World.

Bee Dream from Peter Blegvad, Just Woke Up (1995) 
(click on link to play)
For more Peter Blegvad, see here  and  here.