Fifth World—A Poetic Journey
Creation Tales to Modern Musings
by
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From the poem "The Lost Book":
Like the book lying in harried traffic
and none able its words to assess,
one thinks of our illiterate ancestors
replicating this word-thought process.
Perhaps around the collective fires
the fascinating myth-story was shown,
or absorbed at the feet of aged elders,
or covert kept for the privileged alone.
Once there was no written word
or even a spoken word known.
Then, before there were words,
were thoughts a process unknown?
If known, how this thought transfer?
Was it shared in a mutual glance?
Were they pictured on a cave wall,
told by hand-signs or in a dance?
Giving no slight to the ancestors
dwelling in a sea of sounds, though near-mute
they perceived a near-silent communication
that traveled sensory paths most acute.
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About the Book
From the cave paintings of Lascaux to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, from the Mo’ai of Rapa Nui to the totem poles of North America, and from the Giza pyramids to the colossal Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan, humans have long used unspoken communication that crosses the barriers of language and culture.
From our ancestors’ visual acumen to the verbose musings of their descendants, a long journey has transpired. We have only found different portals from which to view, realized our “view is surely restricted” (“Woman Who Fell from the Sky”), or “simply removed more clutter from a door that needs no key” (“There Is a Door”). Now that we, the modern progeny, can posit “diverse and varied marks with standard order and fixed traits and to understand their hidden meanings” (“The Lost Book”), we may, through literature, visit a cave painting or stand in awe before a Teotihuacan. With poetry we make these journeys in record time, with bold imagery and clarity. For the walls and ceilings of life, poetry gives us a great paintbrush.
Presenting a seeker’s journey, this poetry collection explores ancient creation tales, Cajun culture, and contemporary reflections on life’s momentous events.
About the Author
Benn Welch has been an educator, seminarian, horticulturist, and world traveler. He grew up on a ranch in coastal Louisiana, and his love of poetry began in childhood. He currently lives in Southern California, where he continues writing and planning the next journey.