Ink and Paper by Ralph Indrisano

“Ink And Paper” 

 “ Eternity is like a child playing at droughts. The kingdom belongs to a child” Heraclitus 

 I read these lines on a paper page. 

Suddenly, I could see children playing at draughts. 

I saw eternity in each child’s smile! 

Astonished! I asked Heraclitus: 

How can eternity be in a child’s smile? 

What is eternity? 

What is a child? 

 What is eternity doing in a child’s smile? 

 “Questioning is the piety of thought.” Heidegger 

 This encounter with eternity re-made me. 

Slowly, I heard doors opening all around me. 

Pre-conceptions vaporized into nothingness. 

Points of view turned to butterflies in the ski 

I surrendered to languages commands. 

A brave new world opened up before me. 

 Looking down before me I saw not a dagger 

But, Paper and Pen and Hand 

I heard the call of language. 

 All this from a man who lived 2,500 years ago. Who put ink on paper. 

Forgive me, I have to go and play as a child 

 With Ink and Paper 

 “Language speaks us.” Martin Heidegger 

 “From eternity in a child’s smile?” Raphael Arcangelo 

 “We don’t have language language has us.” Martin Heidegger 

 “Good job Martin.” 

 “Thank You” 

 Dedicated to the great prescience of Tom Paladino who gave me pen and paper and access to listening to language