[colinbaker62]

"The brain is a product of evolution, moulded to cope with the
world. It has been formed for coming to terms with things"

( Dr. John Lewis., Man and Evolution. 1962)


I remember the day I met you at school
December shadows steadily unfolding.

And I remember seeing you step into the afternoon
weighted with worries you just couldn't unfrown.

I remember your married hands, fingers turning knots.
Knots at which the finest sailor would have marvelled.

And I remember asking what was the matter,
and the way in which you clothed your worries in words.

I remember you explaining that friends had called you a Christa
- whatever that was -
and a Devil, because you'd told them you didn't believe in God.

I remember wanting to simply tip the worries
from your six-year-old mind. But how could I ?

And I remember asking what you thought,
and what you, yourself, would like to do.

I remember you slowing,
waiting for your ideas to catch up.

And I remember your face looking
young again, as you cried out to me:

"Dad, I know what I can do !
I'll believe in God in school,
then stop again at home-time"



Poem copyright© Colin Baker. April, 2006

[Storiesmaniac]

Wow, the narrow minds of some people have far reaching effects. Nice poem colin, great work of taking this (im assuming) real life situation and turning it into a poem.

[colinbaker62]

Originally Posted by storiesmaniac

Wow, the narrow minds of some people have far reaching effects. Nice poem colin, great work of taking this (im assuming) real life situation and turning it into a poem.

Hello storiesmaniac and a thousand thank you's for posting comments. This is indeed a very true tale (albeit slightly tweaked for poetic effect) relating to the experiences of my youngest daughter. To be fair, I don't think it was a case of narrow mindedness, as it involved five and six year old children, as I say, on the play yard at school time.

However, it did present itself, at least to me, as a brilliant example of how the brain does indeed enable the individual (in their own way and under definite circumstances) to come to terms with the world at large. In short, the whole incident as told above, offered itself as a classic illustration of materialist social science. Hence the epigram structure.

[Storiesmaniac]

Interesting, but i still feel it is the narrow minds that caused it, as the parents of the children must be telling there kids something. Most children only spout what their parents teach them. i wont say all, but even your daughter has been taught to think for herself, obviously you are a great father, and very in love with your children (hence the poems about/by them)

[colinbaker62]

Originally Posted by storiesmaniac

Interesting, but i still feel it is the narrow minds that caused it, as the parents of the children must be telling there kids something. Most children only spout what their parents teach them. i wont say all, but even your daughter has been taught to think for herself, obviously you are a great father, and very in love with your children (hence the poems about/by them)

Yes Stories, you are quite right to suggest that parents per se do indeed inform and thus influence their children, and that many (at least here in Britain), endeavour to inculcate the values of Christianity into their siblings. One must always of course ask oneself why this is. Why do parents automatically and instinctively seek to impart religious values of any kind on their offspring? In short, and coming back to my own experiences, one must enquire as to the source of Christianity's social significance? Such questions will inevitably lead one into the law governed realm of social relations. But I digress !