Ways of the Mind
by John Herlihy
The ways of the mind multiple and diverse,
The mind as uplifting, the mind as a curse.
Who can account for the rich forces of mind
To act in accordance both visionary and blind.
The mind can create attitudes utterly dutiful,
Side by side with attitudes that are simply beautiful.
The mind probes deeply and never rests content,
Delving into life's mysteries to unveil what they meant.
The mind explores all manner of issues of concern,
Concerns - not worries - to explore what it may learn.
Concerns about the future, concerns about a choice,
Concerns mulled over silently before being given a voice.
The mind asks rhetorical questions it will never tell
Questions that get us thinking as an unsounding bell
A bell that lies within us that is quietly unrung
Rhythmic melodies within us that are quietly unsung
The mind capable of seeing things even in the dark,
Who needs eyes when thoughts come to us on a lark.
Indeed, how inventive the mind never on one thing to stay,
Like a skittish butterfly or frantic children at play.
Not the mouth, but the mind that smiles and frowns,
Our minds dress up in formal suits and party gowns.
A mind that fully pursues whatever it wants to know,
The mind journeys thru a maze wherever it wants to go.
Even tentative smiles that don't quite reach the surface,
Or an emerging frown attempting to find its purpose.
The subtleties of the human mind never arrive at an end,
Mind weaves an intricate web without any need to pretend.
A candle flame on the wick of our worries to burn,
The flame will hold steady, the mind will still yearn.
Always there, ready to respond, minutes to the hour,
The beauty of our fragile mind and its inventive power.
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Copyright © John Herlihy
Thursday 8 January 2026
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste." United Negro College Fund.
Ron