Paradox -something absurd or contradictory: a statement, proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true
self-contradictory statement: a statement or proposition that contradicts itself.

person of opposites: a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities.

ox·y·mo·ron

NOUN
1. expression with contradictory words: a phrase in which two words of contradictory meaning are used together for special effect, e.g. "wise fool" or "legal murder"
[ Mid-17th century. < Greek oxumoron, form of oxumoros < oxus "sharp" + moros "foolish" ]

The reader my be taken aback with the fact that I included president Obama in the compiled illustration. The main reason is that he is the current president and if I could have created this when I first had an inkling about this idea, I would have no problem using G.W. Bush. Obama appears more for the symbolism of the power of the presidency, to bring the poem into the modern. I also used a self-portrail of my being, as this should be a fear to be evaluated.

Friday, December 3rd, the Baltimore Poetry Discussion Group met at the HI Youth Hostel, and discussed Ezra Pound. A member or two are Jewish and decided not to attend because Pound was anti-Semitic during WWII, yet I still found him facinating and realized that Pound's propoganda was, him fooling himself as it provided him with a platform he hadn't had, which fit into his plans of enlightening us.

He also spoke out against the United States of America, in a nation at war with us without revoking his citizenship. When the Italian nation was occupied by allied forces like the United States, he was arrested and placed in essentially an outdoor cage, then transported to the United States to stand trial for treason. He was ruled mentally incompetant to stand trial, and remained in an asylum until he went back to Itally. Pound must have been facinated with history as it was brought up that he was writing to provide a complete work of history including rewriting the epocs, so you have BC, AD and now EP. Yep, Ezra pound. He eventually stop writing and in depression felt the world was too stupid to understand him. (The poetry discussion was verified with a Wikipedia article on him.)

Before that time, Pound was well liked and published and influenced many people and poets. But Pound is an great example and inspiration of how fast one's actions can turn people against you, while you misplace the reason's why.

I loved the way this came together, as you can see that national and religious leaders can fall for the same reasons, and even in everyday society; many people are heading towards the same ends, though severely limited by not having the power to wield their wishes. As a poetic writer, I do my best to write what I feel is not only right, but what is needed for people to hear and consider, so my role in this is always being reevaluated, lest I make myself so important, I loss track of the world I am trying to influence. In many creative fields, too many people surcumb to this.

I am very happy of the facts that I picked on the Jews, as regardless of how they diverge from things, their faith always brings them back to center, as well as try. I used them because the Jewish race was both religious and political and has had its ups and downs, but still remains relitively intact as both a nation and a religion, while so many other have not.

This is not a spiritual poem in my mind, but one written as a caution. To best express my sentiments about Heaven and a higher being, I like to paraphrase the Dali Lama, "Despite my position in Bhudism, I can not honestly say that God exists, so I ask myself, 'What if he doesn't?" In that case we merely find a pleasant way to bide our time and be a bit better for it too. But then I think to myself, 'What if God really does exist?' Oh, ho!"

I dealt with both agnostics and athiests and never feel the need to ferverntly impose my beliefs on them, but bring up that very point, that is better to live a life where we do fear someone that could be more powerful then us and control our destiny. I like to be important, but the real world seems to work against that concept, yet I have so much enjoyment in trying that it is still worth it. In the end, it is the historical retrospective that truely issues forth a judgement on our motives and efforts.

Illustration compiled by Michael W. Kohlman, with credit for the following images.

Jesus in front of the Sanhedrin - Body of illustration. Jesus en casa de Anas tambien conocido como Jesus ante el Suumo Sacerdote Cason del Buen Retiro, Museo del Prado. (1803) Source photoscan and present in the book: Historia del Arte. This image is considered public domain because the copyright has expired. This image is not used in any endeavor that is for profit.)

Hilter as a young man.jpg - Considered because the copyright expired and the author is anonymous.

Ezra Pound 1945 May 26 mug shot,jpg. This is considered public domain as it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.

President Barack Obama with the Nobel Prize medal and diploma.jpg - This is considered public domain as it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.

Micheal W. Kohlman - A photographic self portrait created for this poem.

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