The Genius Madman

The Joker's character got me thinking. I honestly think he was a genius, a hero of sorts, before he became a villain. The finding of certain secrets can corrupt a person, even drive them completely mad...

 

Tired and exhausted

My body demands rest.

Aching muscles throb

And my heart pounds in my chest

Sleepless dreams come plaguing me,

When all I want is dreamless sleep.

Alternate realities

Play out in my mentality.

Can barely move

And my strength is gone

So why the hell

Will sleep not come?

 

It must be because…

 

My thoughts

          ZIP

                   ZING

                             BOING

                   PING

 

All around inside my head.

I contemplate insanity,

The depths of man’s mentality,

The lengths of our humanity

Before we reach animosity.

We could kill,

Each normal person

Has the ability

To end a life.

But here we stand

Under our rules

Trying to protect

Ourselves from us.

What if someone broke the rules,

What if someone didn’t care?

What if a genius lost his mind

And did what no philosopher would dare?

He could manipulate our minds,

Use his experiments to toy with us.

His pastime, his passion is bleak,

Twisted in its total chaos.

But this man did what he did

Knowing he’d be hated.

The genius, not the madman,

Should he not be commended?

He had the courage to take the chance,

To test his theories of man’s advance.

Can we blame him for his fall,

When he saw right through

The falseness of it all?

Author's Note

Madman, or genius? Make your own conclusions...

Reviews

[Legion]

Well, they always tell me there isn't much difference between the two right before they give me my pills. I like the questions you put forth here. They are ones I have contemplated for many years. Great write. Love the way you twisted and changed it in the middle. Oh, I think "pastimes" is actually spelled "pasttimes". Will have to check on it. Good write.

[Captain Blackheart (The..]

Genius....wow John this piece is great. A wonderful consept and vision. A nice idea looking into something outside the box and coming up with this....(wish i had thought of it..lol).
Great write!!!

[Nely Amorim]

interesting concept, to delve into the mind of a comic character, I have not seen the move but your writing does make me curious to see the efforts of Heath Ledger (a fellow Perthian) , thanks for sharing your thoughts i was enthralled.

[TamiViolet]

I read this and simply had to review although we haven't had the pleasure of meeting, John. Although I respect Samuel's opinion regarding characterization of Joker, I must say that I disagree. Yes, the prior Batman movies are purely fantasy and are viewed for entertainment purposes only. But 'The Dark Knight' is quite different, for the Joker transforms to a multi-dimentional character which adds realism to the story. We learn that as a child, he forcibly watches his father slice his mother resulting in her death... This act could be true to life...gravely unfortunate, but nonetheless true. We further learn that he is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic which creates empathy in the mind of the viewer, for this illness can be incredibly disabling.

Therefore, the Joker's character comes to life and is indeed worthy of scrutiny.

Genius or Madman? I doubt that we are provided with enough information to make that conclusion although it is possible as a madman can be a genius, etc. We do begin to understand that Joker's character is complex. I might add that this was brilliant acting and perhaps the best action movie I have seen in some time...

I commend you on the exceptional skill relative to bringing this character to life. The questions you pose to the reader... layout, word choice, depth...undoubtedly superb!!! The photo becomes the icing which enhances the already profound layering of a highly imaginative mind...

Into my favorites with a huge smile :-)

[These Haunted Hallways]

Hmm, maybe a sociopath, and maybe just a normal individual gone mad, 'cause he believed that he couldnt fit in with the rest of society. Kind of like most of us these days lol. But for someone to lose it and to transform into an evil/devilish individual, it's really gotta be bad for 'em, and i just feel so bad for the person. Kinda like Frankenstein and his Monster, really. Brilliantly penned, and u give such great details of the Joker's thoughts and his life. I so wanna see the movie. I still haven't yet lol. Great Job!

B.A.

[Chad Halle]

this is grade a. and i completly agree, the joker was a genius....i really dig nolan's take on the joker, the mystery added more depth to him...and make up is much better than a chemical spill.

[Last Lying Look]

Really REALLY great poem. I'm sure lots of us know what it's like to be on the edge on insanity. Maybe not true insanity but some days it feels like it. I love this poem and how you made it what it is. It's perfect.
Good job!

[♥ Courtney &hear..]

I loved the joker, he was a pure genius. I know the things he did were wrong but he saw people for what they were.... animals. He dug deep and though people hate him for killing people, they should learn from him because like it or not. The things he did brought out the real beast in people and he showed us all people for who they really are.

AMAZING POEM

[Laura Sparkle]

(Stands and claps) Bravo!!! I'm so proud of you Zonny!!! I saw the movie and as much as they played Batman, the Joker had his charm and the best part about his rules, is that he didn't have any... and well.. that got me thinking about the world we live in and their emphasis on money. Well done Zonny! A definite favorite.

[Gandré]

The genius, not the madman, -----------------------but this is the same. how wonderful!

He could manipulate our minds,----------------------- hmmmmmm but this is only when we let him. we are the ruler. not him. we decide who gets access and who not... perfect line.

He had the courage to take the chance,

To test his theories of man's advance.

Can we blame him for his fall,

When he saw right through

The falseness of it all?--------------------- well, everybody has its chance and some take it.... I loved the twisted formulation of the question....it was powerful. The whole write was clever constructed. you made me think. thanks for posting it!

[Lia]

I love this piece, amazing write. A deep poem that really makes you think! Great! well done! x