Ode to Mad Geniuses

This is not about a specific person, but most influential, crazy, and intelligent people who have died but influenced others by their lives'.

A rarity, and a danger it is to find

A genius, who has quite lost his mind

Little company he keeps, alone and pensive

His words are wise, but to fools they are derisive

A shadow in life, and a mirror in death

No one notices him until he loses his breath

Living life with fervor, by pen or outstretched hand

Destroying impossibility, doing what no one can

How could a man possessed with hallucinations

And haunted by the demons he constructed

Become a genius, with all the right qualifications? 

Ah, how does the bleeding heart produce a thinking mind,

But demented, yet he is still meek, and almost always kind?

Through the terrors of Pandora's box he swam,

Until he found the last creature, 

And died, leaving his mark on the past

Author's Note

As I was writing this, I thought of several people as examples: Edgar Allen Poe, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, some Old Testament prophets, and the apostles.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

makes sense, so many writers, artists, inventors don't really get noticed until their last breath...then all of a sudden, Notoriety abounds.

everyone is interested in their lives.

really well done tribute to the lost voices...poets will get heard, even if they don't have an actual voice left with which to speak.

the pen leaves its mark.

[Chidoriflower]

Hm. Thank you very much. :)

[Aethereal]

Your poem brings to mind Socrates, van Gogh, and that most unfortunate man Alan Turing who made our Computer age Possible as well as the defeat of Hitler. We never know what we have till it’s gone. All of these great geniuses where surrounded by dreadful minions with marching orders (Zombies) who “ destroyed paradise and built up a parking lot.” In 1914 when everyone in Europe was calling for war only a few lone voices called out for mutual understanding such as Albert Einstein, and Bertrand Russell for no one ever listens to Mathematicians cause man isn’t really a logical beast, but rather an irrational Beast of Prey. I’m a Mathematician and no one has ever listened to me though I’ve been proven logically correct time and time again in my assessment of the world at large.

[Chidoriflower]

Perhaps empathy, and simple logic is what we need. Not only that, but when there is no value of life people truly become beasts. I'd love to hear what you have to say about mathematics. Thank you for your review and your accurate observations.

[VALORMORE DE PLUME]

Ah,Yes.
The gift of genius is intended for sharing with the world.
Even though.
The burden of loneliness is often coupled with the gift.
Trapped in a separate reality.
Driven to share wondrous discoveries.
Misunderstood and misquoted.
Impervious to common sense.
Fascinated by details from outside the normal sphere.
Hated and feared by superficial thinkers.
Stabbed in the back by opportunistic stinkers.
Take heart, dear one.
You are loved.

[Chidoriflower]

You see it very clearly. Your insight is much appreciated. Thank you. We are both loved, with a love that is mysterious.

[VALORMORE DE PLUME]

You have the gift, (the ability to perceive that which others can't), and your ability to express the wonder grows with each new work. Thank You for sharing. The mysterious love, IS, the fabric of the universe. It permeates everything. The majority are blind to it. Be at peace. The love is greater than the doubting hordes that surround us. The gift sets you apart,however it is meant to be shared. Do so, freely.

[Chidoriflower]

Thank you. It gives me great comfort in knowing that you know of this mysterious love. I wish for God's peace to grow in you, everyday. Thank you once again.

[N E. Chase]

We should all aspire to this. Life would seem incredibly boring otherwise. Very nicely done :-)

[Chidoriflower]

I agree. Life would be quite boring. Thank you. :)

[Dhaye]

True, true! Sometimes the influence a man can create never stops when he dies. So if one would want to be remembered in a group, there would only be two choices: being the best or being the worst. LOL

This is brilliant. There is honesty in every line. Keep writing.

[Chidoriflower]

I like your comments...being famous, and being the best, or being infamous.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[V. P. Trujillo]

Well, as Bruce said, if you want to be remembered, live a life worth remembering. I suppose these gentlemen who inspired this poem, lived such lives.

You depict the archetype well here.

[Chidoriflower]

Thank you, V.P Trujillo. :)

[Caradoc]

Ah, but aren't genius and madness defined by that line that balances precariously upon a knife edge?

I found this a most enjoyable read. The word use and description were well done for the most part and the story you told immediately made me think of Poe and Nobel.

The only thing I found to be off was the double use of the word "but". If I recall correctly, normally you aren't supposed to use it at the beginning of a sentence. However, the way you used it was fine, except then you put it in again immediately after. That put a bump in the middle of otherwise great flow. I think perhaps if you were to replace the first "but" with "yet", it would address the issue.

Of course it is only a problem that I see. Others may not even notice it. As the author, the decision on whether to alter your piece is ultimately up to you. I merely offer a humble suggestion.

Thank you for writing this piece.

Be well.

-Caradoc

[Chidoriflower]

Yes. Some have even erased that line. :) I respect your corrections, and I am very grateful for them. (I'm saying that I will make changes, when I get the chance.) I am also thankful for your eloquent review; it's quite nice. :')

[Caradoc]

You are very welcome. I thank you in turn for responding to my review. I think perhaps I myself don't do it enough sometimes...

Have a good one. :)

[Chidoriflower]

Heh heh, you too.

[Bluefire]

When this line came up, "A shadow in life, and a mirror in death" it's hard to explain the picture that came into my mind... It was of a mirror in the center and the same man on each side. Only one side was dark with miasma and fear, the man on the dark side was a skeleton and the man on the right was a human in the real world.
Then when this line came up, "Living life with fervor, by pen or outstretched hand" I kind of thought of Edgar Allen Poe.
Nice write! I love it!

[Chidoriflower]

Thank you for such an insightful and creative review! Thanks again. :3

[Bluefire]

No problem! ^^

[Lucifer Jones]

"through the terrors of Pandora's box he swam..." What an image. I think that's one of my all time favorite lines as of now. Very real and honest when considering the ailment(?) of true genius. Loved it!

[Chidoriflower]

Thank you very much! :)

[Lucifer Jones]

was a pleasure!

[Sami Khalil]

One of the best poems or descriptions on geniuses I have read. So true and relevant to them. I can think of few more than you have mentioned : Nicolai Tesla , Howard Hughes and more...:)

[Chidoriflower]

Thank you! :) So many geniuses...:)

[Sami Khalil]

Yep. You are welcome...:)................