Wednesday 11 July 2012

Words From Surrey

Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey once said and I quote;
'The happy life he leads, the quiet mind, be equal friend. wisdom joined with simplicity. The Knight dischared of all cares.'

Never has a man used truer words because we all seek that which we can never find. We seek the peace of mind, the summery escape of our souls; away from the dangers and vulgarities of this cruel world. We all want a place that we can call our own. In truth we all seek our own castle; A Castle of Peace. We find such a place in bits and pieces. If my memory serves me right, I found my castle once when I was just 14 years and I have never managed to find it since.

I remember the cool river falling over a beautiful rock into the valley; the plush green scenery that managed to calm me. It was quiet and peaceful. I felt connected and contented for those few minutes. I felt like there was nothing going on in the world. It was only me and my simple calm place, away from the angry eyes of earth. I felt at peace and safe.

You might wonder why I am going on about something I felt six years ago and wht cares a simple fourteen year old could have had. My answer is simple and direct. I have tried to find that place to no avail. I have needed to find that place now that I am older and still it eludes me. I wonder if I will ever find it again and feel at peace, even if it is for a few blissful minutes. I know for a act that we all seek that little castle away from the world and we all barely find it.

With that I will leave you with a poem composed by me.

Henry Howard, theEarl of Surrey once said,
'The happy life he leads, the quiet mind,
be equal friend.
Wisdom joined with simplicity.
The knight discharged of all cares.'
Never has a man used truer words;
for we all seek that which we can never find.
Only in glimpses do we see it,
but never to the full.
Show me a man with a quiet mind,
I will show you thousands that have tried invain to seek it.
For never was there a simpler thing to find;
and in its simplicity joined with impossibility.
Barbarians, Romans, Greeks,
those before us and those after us seek it,
A quiet life,
without foe, strife or bitterness,
and never shall they find it.
Alas!
My friends, even the flower desires the quiet life.
A place to grow unhindered by the cruelties of mankind's imagination.
Where it will blossom and hope not to be wilted.
Alas!
I agree with the deceased,
the knight discharged of all cares,
the equal friend.

Samuel S.B.

If you read this, you will wonder how it is that such can be achieved. The Buddhists believe it can be done by constant meditation, but i disagree. They might find a semblence of it but I know for a fact to achieve the quiet mind you are either glimpsing the keeper of the dead or you are in his realm.

So we are all left to toil in desire of something that we have no chance of glimpsing...

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