Glory

Glory

It is man's big field trip
Towards Superman, God, Death
Mad rantings of philosophers and fanatics
Self flagellating stripes of austere cold beings
That sniff at everyday life

Completely obscure-

Hovers around the notion of  war
Like a shroud
Suggests death in battle
Is glorious
It is not dying in bed
Like a mouse
But  being cut off from all life in a moment-
Glorious!

Some think it is the purpose of life
To seek glory
Give me Glory or Death
All or Nothing
I will chance my arm
And aspire to the seemingly impossible
I will succeed
Or die in the attempt
Conquest is glorious
Achievement is glorious
Failure in pursuit of incredible odds can also be glorious

It is the stuff of heroism
Heroes earn their glory
Every day-

Sounds tremendous
It is a mystery
Rapturous
Intoxicating
That can take possession of heart and soul

Glory describes God
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Ancient Catholic Hymn to the birth of Christ
Glory to God up above-
Glory be to God on high
Sublime

For man it usually means
An unattainable
Or hard to hold on to woman-
Gloria
Inhumanly beautiful
A love too excruciating to bear
Not for keeping
Cannot hold on to it
Quicksilver that is Mercury
Globules of mercurial  love
Glorious
Brief
Unquestioned
Therefore ideal
Gone
Before scrutiny
Gloria Gloria

An opportunity to test one's courage
Pit one's life against infinity
Or nothingness
To make a difference
Blaze a trail
Die on one's own terms
Jump into the unknown with head held high
Die for one's country
Refuse to flinch in the face of possible probable destruction
Stretch beyond what is considered possible

Glory is a strange thing-
Only God knows what it truly means
As he gathers you back to his bosom
Honour
Renown
Magnificence
Pride
Pleasure
Brilliant
Radiant
Beautiful

Beyond the pursuit
Beyond the catching
Beyond flesh and blood
Beyond human life
Forever beckoning-
As if it is an end in itself.


June 29th, 2020
Gautam Mukherjee