After Nietzsche
By William Dennis
Neither Mine nor Yoursafter Nietzsche, "Beyond Good and Evil," #214
Primary colors are for simple virtues, not for yours; and elementary shapes suit virtues, neither mine nor yours. To simple sainthood, curiosity is dangerous; some find their interest piqued, but purity will just bore yours. An artful multiplicity in you, for me becomes a labyrinth where I risk my own self to explore yours. So heartfelt are your inclinations, my heart sways; and then, a sugared cruelty on your lips—right off—I deplore yours. So, Bill, the quest for any legendary beast takes faith; that you might seek out your good conscience, what would restore yours |
Nor Weafter: Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche, #227
From candidness—where virtue…, when it’s ours—no listener gets free, nor we; made of that sprite, Love’s spite, they may hear nothing more of honesty, nor we. That virtue’s glimmer might turn night to day..., seems hope imported quite some way; that culture turns to fashion in old age, modern youth will not agree, nor we. Should honesty grow weary of our strength, yearn after ease and friends, like vice, not even Stoics such as these would bend an ear to hear its plea, nor we. Take good, old-fashioned sociopathic manipulation—the usefulest thing we know; full many a noble cause would not say no, approached more suitably, nor we. What sheer naivté to think we might be understood! But what of that? Neither is the mob ashamed to disregard puerility, nor we. Our reputation is for honest devilry, so let's live up to that; that gods are devils baptized by another church, they don't deny, nor we. Self-knowledge is a naming game: self-interest—selfishness; love or lust; our vital spark can never settle on its label: spirit—banshee, nor we. This candid streak, free spirit, let it not develop into affectation, for neither does the universe need new forms of stupidity, nor we. With Russian wit, they call fools saintly, merit tending toward absurdity; few friends endure as nyekulturny grows…outright boring, frankly, nor we. St. Bill, we've quoted wiser heads a hundred times to say that life's too short; not either honest-hearted men seek tedium's eternity, nor we. |
Love's Propositionafter Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 39, by Friedrich Nietzsche
Not because it makes me virtuous or, as it has, happy
I would love you if it were a sin and made me, as it has, wicked. Subjective happiness and virtue would not argue for this doctrine's truth; more likely is love's thesis true--if it makes me, as it has, wretched. And even thoughtful types forget it's just as little counter-argument, that love makes for unhappiness--or if it made me, as it has, evil. Then, if full knowledge of the nature of existence could destroy a man, strength's measure is how bitter one takes truth--or if it's been, as it has, sweetened. The wicked and unhappy are more likely to discover certain truths; but where moralists are silent--if it makes us, as it has, happy. Severity and cunning favor strength of spirit and philosopher, above the art of taking lightly, if it makes you yielding, as it has, Bill. first published in The Ghazal Page (2013) |
As Nietzsche Asked in 1886 after 'Beyond Good and Evil', Aphorism 53, by Fredrich Nietzsche
Why this riot of belated bloom on atheism's bank of the Styx; why at all and why today? as Nietzsche asked in 1886. Fatherhood was thoroughly refuted, then parenthood in God at all, if scandal were to be avoided, Nietzsche said in 1886. To be fair then, we have only hearsay, that conflicting, as to God's judgments; the title, 'Judge', is honorific, Nietzsche wrote in 1886. Creating men who learn best when rewarded unpredictably and sparsely, impugns the title of 'Rewarder', Nietzsche taught in 1886. What foolish beggar trades five minutes living misery for bliss eternal? And knowing marriage, seven virgins? as Nietzsche asked in 1886. Predestination solves the problem foolish judgment poses to our pride, while our free will is His escape clause, Nietzsche wrote in 1886. Whether He answers prayer, just not mine, or simply knows not how to help, we differ on what counts as help, as Nietzsche saw in 1886. And most frustrating--only His habitual vagueness, makes of faith a virtue; is He unclear about His meaning? Nietzsche asked in 1886. After asking many questions, I give these as reasons we decline so openly to worship Him, which Nietzsche found in 1886. Thought Jesus was the answer, Bill? Now questions of religious sort produce a golden age for atheism, as Nietzsche claimed in 1886. |
Among the Blessed"Blessed are the forgetful: for they shall 'have done' with their stupidities too."
Friedrich Nietsche, "Beyond Good and Evil, #217," (R.J. Hollingdale, trans.) Obsessed with my
stupidities, I'll never be among the blessed. I'm the last one anyone expects to see among the blessed. Who lived a guilt -free life, such that to dwell in memory is bliss? Only the forgetful, though they walk blind, walk free among the blessed. While clinging self- recrimination is a Buddhist sort of sin, the real sin is to blind the eyes with faith, to flee among the blessed. The crooked angel stands at heaven's gate, charged to keep me out; he fears I'll bite the saints behinds and be a flea among the blessed. Bill, expect to see the world grown warm, with sterile, acid seas; search high, search low, but don't expect that you'll find me among the blessed. first published in The Ghazal Page (2014) |
They Sayafter: Beyond Good and Evil, #226, Friedrich Nietzsch
We immoralists! And what we are not fond of, we must hate, they say; the same for men and notions we embrace but rarely, or not of late, they say. In truth, un-seen almost, un-heard, if heard of—sharp and tender rules command us to consistency that seems divergence, which is open to debate, they say. The garment of commitment, hampers our free movement, making us to dance; albeit in small hops, quite easily mistaken for a stumbling gate, they say. Belated dancing, true, in this concatenation of events called history-- so off time, the reason for our frown is hard to contemplate, they say. The commonplace, the common man and common sense agree so rarely, Bill, though foolish disunited, you should honor them in aggregate, they say. |
The Way You Do
after 'Beyond Good and Evil', Aphorism 255, by Fredrich Nietzsche
I will never love Italian light the way you do; to that inheritance I have no right, the way you do. As hospital to all the northern world’s unease of self, sun clarifies good here by means of sight, the way you do. This solar bath floats off a shadow pooling in my eye with its alleviating, buoyant might, the way you do. Blue jazzes up the overcast that comes on me in song, and helps me tune old grief to fresh delight, the way you do. Among old stones, I thought that cynicism might yield good; still, ruins like me would like to feel contrite, the way you do. What does not fade in me beneath this sun is what I’ll keep; too much of me turns pale when day wakes bright, the way you do. Italy insistently instructs me in contrivance and how to elevate base appetite, the way you do. The bird’s old bill sings sweet and sweeter, scorning good and bad, with no pretending to be erudite, the way you do. |