Serious Discussion of the MJ Poem "Mark of the Ancients"

[CherubimII]

It would be so wonderful to have a serious discussion about
Michael Jackson's poem, "Mark of the Ancients" from his book
Dancing the Dream. :cheeky:
Let's Begin by watching a video and rereading the poem: :yes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=[youtube]9uUlWBC3hxs&feature=related[/youtube]

Mark of the Ancients


He had lived in the desert all his life, but for me it was all new.
“See that footprint in the sand?” he asked, pointing to a spot by the cliff.

I looked as close as I could. “No, I don’t see anything.”
“That’s just the point.” He laughed.
“Where you can’t see a print, that’s where the Ancient Ones walked.”
We went on a little farther, and he pointed to an opening, high up on the sandstone wall. “See that house up there?” he asked.
I squinted hard. “There’s nothing to see.”

“You’re a good student.” He smiled. “Where there’s no roof or chimney,
that’s where the Ancient Ones are most likely to have lived.”

We rounded a bend, and before us was spread a fabulous sight – thousands upon thousands of desert flowers in bloom. “Can you see any missing?”


he asked me. I shook my head. “It’s just wave after wave of loveliness.”“Yes,” he said in a low voice. “Where nothing is missing, that’s where the Ancient Ones harvested the most.”I thought about all this, about how generations had once lived in harmony

with the earth, leaving no marks to scar the places they inhabited.
At camp that night I said, “You left out one thing.” “What’s that?” he asked “Where are the Ancient Ones buried?”

Without reply, he poked his stick into the fire. A bright flame shot up,

licked the air, and disappeared. My teacher gave me a glance to ask if
I understood this lesson. I sat very still, and my silence told him I did.


from DANCING THE DREAM
Michael Jackson <!-- / message -->

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[MJ~And~Me]

thank you :yes: what about some more

 

[Garden]

Thanks Cherubim!
I had problems with reading, I hope you don't mind I copied it in bigger characters .


Mark of the Ancients


He had lived in the desert all his life, but for me it was all new.
“See that footprint in the sand?” he asked, pointing to a spot by the cliff.

I looked as close as I could. “No, I don’t see anything.”
“That’s just the point.” He laughed.
“Where you can’t see a print, that’s where the Ancient Ones walked.”
We went on a little farther, and he pointed to an opening, high up on the sandstone wall. “See that house up there?” he asked.
I squinted hard. “There’s nothing to see.”

“You’re a good student.” He smiled. “Where there’s no roof or chimney,
that’s where the Ancient Ones are most likely to have lived.”

We rounded a bend, and before us was spread a fabulous sight – thousands upon thousands of desert flowers in bloom. “Can you see any missing?”


he asked me. I shook my head. “It’s just wave after wave of loveliness.”“Yes,” he said in a low voice. “Where nothing is missing, that’s where the Ancient Ones harvested the most.”I thought about all this, about how generations had once lived in harmony

with the earth, leaving no marks to scar the places they inhabited.
At camp that night I said, “You left out one thing.” “What’s that?” he asked “Where are the Ancient Ones buried?”




Without reply, he poked his stick into the fire. A bright flame shot up,

licked the air, and disappeared. My teacher gave me a glance to ask if
I understood this lesson. I sat very still, and my silence told him I did.


from DANCING THE DREAM
Michael Jackson

 

[Severus Snape]

That's entirely beautiful. He was so wise. What does it mean, is the question.

To me, it means, that the ancient ones were and are part of the natural world, so that when they died, they changed nothing of it, since as Michael said, they lived in perfect harmony with it. Since they lived in such a nature-conscious way, they ensured to leave no trace of their existence as a separate entity from nature behind, because both are one and the same.

Unlike us, in a way. Once we perish, we will leave behind thousands upon thousands of cities, with steel buildings and factories left to rust. We'll leave behind millions of cars, buses, motorcycles, televisions, computers, and other traces of our deviation from the natural world. More importantly, though, we'll leave behind a certain change, which is the added pollutants in the air, the damage to the ozone layer, the small yet highly impacting increase in global temperature due to our lifestyle, the rainforests left in ruin, never to shelter life again, because we've cut down all the trees, et cetera.

So what Michael was trying to say is that we need to return to a more environmentally conscious way, and learn from the Ancient Ones, who are buried in the stars. You could also say we'll leave thousands of graveyards and funeral homes behind, but that's taking a more literal approach to a story which is supposed to be more symbolic.

 

[CherubimII]

Thanks Cherubim!
I had problems with reading, I hope you don't mind I copied it in bigger characters .

from DANCING THE DREAM
Michael Jackson

THANKS!!! :flowers:

 

[Ashtanga]

God , as Michael was talented.... :wild: I have so proud of him. :wub:

So what Michael was trying to say is that we need to return to a more environmentally conscious way, and learn from the Ancient Ones, who are buried in the stars. You could also say we'll leave thousands of graveyards and funeral homes behind, but that's taking a more literal approach to a story which is supposed to be more symbolic.

:agree: