Tag: philosophy

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The Good Life

I’m living the good life, as best I can:
I’m giving as much as taking, and more –
I’m opening every door of opportunity, taking
To the floor and dancing to the giddy swirl
Of opposites, of yin and yang, the flash
Of fang and claw, and the tranquil pond
With its unfurled frond of knowledge, reflected
In the unfathomed depths of wisdom’s eye
That ripples and trickles into a burbling stream
Of consciousness, that eddies and readies
The mind for clarity of thought, even while
Feelings froth in rapids and undercurrents,
Churning and yearning for the endless ocean,
Flowing unknowing towards a greater fate,
A larger identity, in sync with the moon
Of enlightenment, swaying to the rhythmic tides
Of love and fear, from forces near and far,
The star of destiny and the crashing waves,
Surfing the changes as each pattern rearranges
To reveal a new face, a fresh chase, a long race
To the beginning, beyond losing and winning,
At the heart of pain and joy – this is the art
Of living the good life, as best we can.

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Dear Me

Dear me, my future self, traveller in time,

Are we still friends, or strangers? Do we still chime
In our ideas and how we see ourselves and the world?
Has our life been a zig-zag, a rising arc unfurled,
Or something even more unexpected, a surprise
That revealed something hidden, a deeper disguise?

Are those I love safe and happy, and do I love them still,
Or have the tides shifted? Were some things beyond my will?
Were there cul-de-sacs, or unfortunate endings?
And what of new beginnings? Did I make a fresh start,
A brave leap into the unknown, and was that smart?

So many questions I have, but I guess you have questions too?

Let me try to imagine what they are, and answer a few:
Yes, I am happy right now, but I think not naïve
I can see opportunities, and despite the risks, I believe.
Maybe not so much in politicians or the news
But in myself and in innovators, the creative muse.

Yes, I am in love, with no regrets about getting married,
And I already know that love takes work. I’ve carried
Enough burdens to be a realist, yet still to hope
For a better future, for we are strong; we will cope.

So no matter who you are – who I am, and what we’ve done –

I want you to know, you are loved by your younger one.

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Final Test

We’re on a path that twists and turns
Through landscapes ever changing
Sometimes it’s hard, and so we learn
Through patterns rearranging
The trick, it seems, is not to fight
Against the unexpected
Keep moving on towards the light
And don’t become dejected
Easier said than done, I know
Yet that’s the final test:
To fall and rise, to love and grow
While letting go the rest

Wayne Visser © 2024

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Unwaveringly Uncertain

In a world that craves certainty
Be unwaveringly uncertain
For nothing is so dangerous
As a person who is certain
Of their own rightness
The world is constantly changing
And uncertainty is the pathway
To knowledge and wisdom

In a world that revels in cacophony
Be resolutely silent
For nothing is so self-defeating
As someone who shouts louder
To be heard above the noise
The world is endlessly babbling
And silence is the secret
To saying more with less

In a world that vies for attention
Be steadfastly focused
For nothing is so futile
As a person who craves affirmation
From fickle strangers
The world is doggedly distracting
And focus is the superpower
For creating real impact

In a world that sows division
Be consciously connected
For nothing is so destructive
As someone who plants seeds of discontent
In fields of insecurity
The world is dazzlingly diverse
And connecting is the fine art
Of leading with love

In a world that favours action
Be deeply reflective
For nothing is so counterproductive
As a person who acts impulsively
Without weighing consequences
The world is forever shifting
And reflection is the discipline
Of studying emerging patterns

In a world that wants simple answers
Be conspicuously complex
For nothing is so misleading
As someone who promises quick fixes
To life’s hard problems
The world is strangely entangled
And complexity is the cipher
To decode life’s meaning

Wayne Visser © 2024

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Book of Magic

When we are young, we dream of magical worlds
Of fairies and wizards making mischief and casting spells
Then we grow older, and the story of life unfurls
And we give up on the promise of witches and wishing wells

For we discover that ordinary life tells a different tale
Of incredible feats and secrets hidden in plain sight
We discover that magic is alive and the quest for the grail
Is about fighting our own dragons and pursuing the light

Every day, we hold the Book of Magic in our hands
Our thoughts and words are powerful spells we cast
Every year, we discover fatastical new lands
And learn to see deeper and make the magic last.

Wayne Visser © 2024

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Footnotes

The things we do, the things we say
The hoops we shoot, the games we play
Are beats and riffs within our son
In search of places we belong

The views and detours on the way
Are uncut gems we find in clay
Some stones we polish ‘til they shine
The rest we toss and leave behind

No matter what we build and burn
It’s how we love and what we learn
That writes the story of our days
The rest are footnotes on the page

Wayne Visser © 2024

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Right Action, Right Mind

The older I get, the more I find
That I am gentle with myself; not blind
To my mistakes, but more forgiving,
More wise about the purpose of living

For life is not a race to win or lose
It’s more about walking in our own shoes
And it’s not an exam to pass or fail
It’s more about weaving our unique tale

The older I get, the more I see
That changing the world starts inside of me
For life invites us to care, to be kind
As the Buddha says: right action, right mind.

Wayne Visser © 2023

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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This Is The Way

No matter what you do or say
Your life is yours to live each day
No matter how you work or play
Your time is yours to spend each day

Take care of where you live and how
Take care of where you work and why
Take care of who you love and how
Take care of who you are and why

No matter if you go or stay
Your life is lived within the fray
No matter if your skies turn grey
Your love is bright – This Is The Way

Wayne Visser © 2023

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Stoic

I am a stoic
But that does not mean
That I deny life’s pleasures
Rather, I embrace the fullness of life
Always delighted by its highs
And ever expecting its lows
Knowing that the path to equanimity
Lies somewhere in between

I am a stoic
But that does not mean
That I dull down life’s colours
Rather, I accept the vagaries of life
Always influencing what I can
And letting go of the rest
Knowing that the secret to happiness
Is telling the difference

I am a stoic
But that does not mean
That I spurn life’s potential
Rather, I study the patterns of life
Always finding beauty everywhere
And befriending the chaos
Knowing that the purpose of existence
Is to have existed at all

Wayne Visser © 2022

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Only Now

There’s only now – this moment of this day
In time’s great ocean, as we swell and sway
Between waves of memories already past
And hopeful dreams like fishnets we cast

The day itself may change to foul or fair
Our only task is to be present there
To ride out the storm and soak up the sun
To manage the fear and relish the fun

There’s only now – this fleeting time and place
In life’s long journey, the truth we must face
Is that though the ground we cover is great
The path that we tread is what we create

The place itself may bring pleasure or pain
Sometimes we will lose, sometimes we will gain
The trick’s to be present through thick and thin
For life’s not a race, there’s nothing to win

There’s only now – this breath in, this breath out
A state of being is what it’s about
To be here right now, to be who we are
To beat like a drum, to shine like a star

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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