Symphony of Apasmara / Ignorance

Allegro

All is new
Sparkles
Colours bright
The goldfinches’ chittering
Fills my head
I dance, run
Leap like a lamb
Life’s a gambol
Oh! Joy of birth
Perpetual Spring
Such happiness
Innocence
Bliss

Andante

Now?
No!
I’m happy
Do not want to
Grow
Keep that away
I’ll growl
Bark
Hide in shadows
From your knowledge
Why tie me down
To learning?
When I can play
Unencumbered
By understanding

Scherzo

Come then, “Teacher”
Yahboo!
Sucks!
Catch me
If you can
I’ll miss the bus
Turn up late for class
Bunk from school
Listen to cricket
On my pocket radio
Instead of you
My immature form
Is nimble
Agile
My empty head
Clear


Finale

Come on then!
You want some?
I don’t need learning
You have it!
If you catch me
You’ll have to work
To keep me underfoot
Put me down
Keep me
“In my place”
Close to the lowest
Creatures of the ground
My friend the cobra
Spits and twists
At the captive state
Your schooling imposes
You’ll have to catch me
To match me
With your world view
I swear
I know a simpleton’s truth
You’ll thank me yet
For showing you
There’s good
In being able
To forget

~

n.b. Feeling a little ignorant of myths and symphonic structures, the NaPoWriMo 2025 prompt for 12th April, encouraged me to engage with a little learning. In doing so I found out about the Hindu god, Shiva’s co-existence with the diminutive god of ignorance, Apasmara and his cobra. Is not knowing an entirely a bad thing? Discuss.

The four part structure used here, is commonly used in the composition of symphonies, but there are no strict rules; convention being a mid-wife to invention, or restrictive practice, (depending on your attitude to conformity).

CLP 13/04/2025