When consciousness begins to add diversity to its intensity,
its value is no longer absolute and inexpressible. The felt variations
in its tone are attached to the observed movement of
its objects; in these objects its values are embedded. A world
loaded with dramatic values may thus arise in imagination;
terrible and delightful presences may chase one another
across the void; life will be a kind of music made by all the
senses together. Many animals probably have this kind of
experience.
–Santayana
Irrelevance characterizes the behavior of our puppy.
In the middle of the night he decides that he wants to play,
runs off when he’s called, when petted is liable to pee,
cowers at a twig and barks at his shadow or a tree,
grins at intruders and bites us in the leg suddenly.
No justification we humans have been able to see
applies to his actions. While we go by the time of day,
or the rules, or the notion of purpose or consistency,
he follows from moment to moment a sensuous medley
that keeps him both totally subject and totally free.
I’ll have to admit, though, we’ve never been tempted to say
that he jumps up to greet us or puts his head on our knee
or licks us or lies at our feet irrelevantly.
When it comes to loving, we find ourselves forced to agree
all responses are reasons and no reason is necessary
(Mona Van Duyn)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, World Poems, Night Poems, Time Poems, Nature Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Music Poems, Imagination & Visualization Poems, Reasoning Poems, Purposes Poems, Actions PoemsBased on Keywords: diversity, inexpressible, justification, liable, intruders, consistency, pee