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Poetry

I once saw magic in the veins of things

by George Eraclides

Yet say what point there is in going on
With base and bleached unsuccoured life we lead,
To learn, to know, to judge, and then be gone

Still nature’s signalmen herald the dawn
The lie which blooms and we await with greed,
Yet say what point there is in going on

Seared sands and endless wastes roll ever on
From azure seas expired by our misdeeds –
To learn, to know, to judge, and then be gone

Imbued with secret life, our pantheon
We unlock with science-wielded speed,
Yet say what point there is in going on

We Godless gods can pierce life’s shell, anon
Disperse, compress; as we will, change our seed,
To learn, to know, to judge, and then be gone

As we approach the eventide whereon
All things finally will their secrets cede –
Yet say what point there is in going on

We look inside and see the magic gone
Brick on brick left behind to meet our need
To learn, to know, to judge, and then be gone

Is this the end we hoped to find, upon
Displacing God? No matter, we are freed,
Yet say what point there is in going on
To learn, to know, to judge, and then be gone.

George Eraclides is a writer from Melbourne. He has graduate qualifications in librarianship, writing, and an MA in Philosophy. His interests include thinking about things.