For me, this discussion brought to mind Tolkien’s poem, Mythopoeia, written for C.S. Lewis shortly after a walk and a discussion that would lead to the latter’s conversion a mere few days later. Tolkien’s poignant dedication was “To one who said that myths were lies and therefore worthless, even though ‘breathed through silver.’” This famous excerpt, below, seems to go right to the heart of myth, and its role in shaping our lives. It gives me hope, as we each labour in our sub-creations!
“He sees no stars who does not see them first
of living silver made that sudden burst
to flame like flowers beneath an ancient song,
whose very echo after-music long
has since pursued. There is no firmament,
only a void, unless a jewelled tent
myth-woven and elf-patterned; and no earth,
unless the mother’s womb whence all have birth.
The heart of Man is not compound of lies,
but draws some wisdom from the only Wise,
and still recalls him. Though now long estranged,
Man is not wholly lost nor wholly changed.
Dis-graced he may be, yet is not dethroned,
and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned, his world-dominion by creative act:
The hardest question you three haven't posed is the question of American history. The myths about the origin of this country, its shared stories are based on fictions, just as Christianity is. The genocide of the native populations and the slavery of African peoples are stories that are true, but way too destructive to admit. So they are ignored, sublimated and covered over with other, less true myths, like Christianity and Columbus, and western progress. When will we ever face the reality of racism and how it forms the basis of the division we see today in practically everything.
For me, this discussion brought to mind Tolkien’s poem, Mythopoeia, written for C.S. Lewis shortly after a walk and a discussion that would lead to the latter’s conversion a mere few days later. Tolkien’s poignant dedication was “To one who said that myths were lies and therefore worthless, even though ‘breathed through silver.’” This famous excerpt, below, seems to go right to the heart of myth, and its role in shaping our lives. It gives me hope, as we each labour in our sub-creations!
“He sees no stars who does not see them first
of living silver made that sudden burst
to flame like flowers beneath an ancient song,
whose very echo after-music long
has since pursued. There is no firmament,
only a void, unless a jewelled tent
myth-woven and elf-patterned; and no earth,
unless the mother’s womb whence all have birth.
The heart of Man is not compound of lies,
but draws some wisdom from the only Wise,
and still recalls him. Though now long estranged,
Man is not wholly lost nor wholly changed.
Dis-graced he may be, yet is not dethroned,
and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned, his world-dominion by creative act:
not his to worship the great Artefact,
Man, Sub-creator, the refracted Light
through whom is splintered from a single White
to many hues, and endlessly combined
in living shapes that move from mind to mind.”
That's lovely! I hadn't seen it before (or had forgotten, if I had). I especially like the beginning.
The hardest question you three haven't posed is the question of American history. The myths about the origin of this country, its shared stories are based on fictions, just as Christianity is. The genocide of the native populations and the slavery of African peoples are stories that are true, but way too destructive to admit. So they are ignored, sublimated and covered over with other, less true myths, like Christianity and Columbus, and western progress. When will we ever face the reality of racism and how it forms the basis of the division we see today in practically everything.