picture by mobius faith /used with permission
one hundred billion neurons
Saraswati’s expansive lotus of the mind
illuminating the supreme appeal of exploration
jasmine colored moon lights the path
from stimulus to response
her swan glides through neural networks
discerning eternal from evanescent
action potential encoding creativity,
consciousness, it’s fractal diversity
is not an imprecision of biology
but critical to cerebral function
lotus hands weild the vina, ecstatic instrument,
strumming the perfection of arts and science
intrinsic biophysical heterogeneity reveals
complex nature of synchrony, rhythmicity
lustre upon the eloquence of knowledge
Claude Monet Nympheas (public domain)
This poem will be linked to the Poetics photo prompt today at dVerse Poets Pub. Please join us!
Chromapoetica 
cool. this is all wild…surreal. nice work.
Thanks Jesse, it was fun to combine Saraswati and her symbols with recent neuroscience research on neuronal diversity. I suppose that is surreal.
You are able to make the damnedest things beautiful. Wow!
Mama Zen, always a real treat to get your comments, thank you!
I almost chose that image…made my imagination run…as too does this response. All circuits firing with this one…snapping and cracking down those neural pathways…potential encoding creativity perhaps 😉 You’re always an inspiration Anna… and a treasure trove for new google adventures!
Google adventures are awesome, thanks Tash. So wonderful this one lit the neural fires :D!
such an interesting combination… wonderfully done!
“jasmine colored moon lights the path” … who would have thought neuroscience could be this beautiful.
That’s partially from a hymn to Saraswati. I think it is so I tried to find a way to convey the elegance and beauty of it to the reader. A wonderful blend of art and science in painting happens in Glenn Dunn’s work http://www.gregadunn.com/, a painter with a PhD in neuroscience. Thanks so much for the visit, I’ll be by soon :D.
thanks for the link – curious now about the prompt! 😀
It’s a photo prompt. Brian, Claudia, Natasha, and Laurie have poems up that use some of the photos included. You might find inspiration in one of them. The lily/lotus picture caught my eye :).
think i’ll wait (im)patiently till the doors open… 😉 want the see the photos all at once 🙂
Not too long now :D.
had to return… LOVED hearing it!
Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
ah you got that elegance and beauty so right…loving how each one today is of a different picture so face as well…i foudn that pic had a very zen feel for me..love the swan…the mix of arts and science and song….beautiful anna
Yes, it took me into the depths of meditative bliss. I was thinking about how elegant our messy biology is really, that the diversity which they used to dismiss as imprecision is precisely what makes the mind so efficient and capable. The art/science divide too often rides on a sense that art is chaotic and science is rational order but of course this isn’t true. Thank you for your thought provoking response.
anna, just wanted to stop in today and say thank you…i am thankful for you today…smiles.
Brian, you are a bright light in the world. I am thankful for you too :).
ah beautiful anna…the complex nature of synchrony…lotus hands weild the vina, ecstatic instrument, strumming the perfection of arts and science
intrinsic biophysical heterogeneity reveals …this is so you…i always think you’re strumming along the lines of arts and science so well…
Oh Claudia, you’ve done my heart a good turn today. Thank you very much.
You take the complex world of science and turn it into something beautiful. The photo is lovely but, your poem has done it such justice. ‘jasmine colored moon lights the path’ And ‘lotus hands wield the vina, ecstatic instrument, strumming the perfection of arts and science’
Beautiful imagery.
Oh, thank you, I was hoping to bring it back into the realm of the poetic.
I always find it interesting how the same picture can elicit different responses ~
Enjoyed this expansive lotus of the mind ~ Cheers ~
Yes, we all see with different filters. I look forward to yours :).
I like the addition of the Monet painting as well as your poem. I looked at this photo and saw a sliced Zuccinni shaped pacman. But it does look metalic, and you made the metalic, the man created world of metal and stone into the beauty of what Monet was projecting. Maybe that was the purpose of the photographer. At any rate, if I said that right, I enjoyed this very much. And I honestly enjoyed hearing your voice read your poem. The softness/tenderness of your voice took the sharpness of created industry and help create the lilly floating pad. Enjoyable as always
Thanks, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the reading and the art, I wanted to transmute the science into poetry :D.
An intricate and complex write. Interesting how the Monet painting and the moebius faith picture have similarities and both can express what you have conveyed in your poem. You make science come alive
I immediately thought of Monet when I saw it and the poem flowed from there.
Really nice work Anna, Has my mind and spirit in twirling like a child of wonder at the kaleidoscope of imagery you’ve written. I really like the audio reading also.
Thank you for the lovely inspiration. I enjoy urban decay photography very much yet today needed the kaleidoscopic twirl. Nice to meet you and my gratitude for your comment on Saudade.
Great take on the pic – I love to think Saraswati taking some time over my neurons! Very pretty. k.
I did too, so wonderful that conceit worked for you :D!
Yes thanks. Just the name Saraswati kind of a poem. k.
Yes, she’s aptly and poetically named (Saraswati in sanscrit means she who flows) as she was initially a river goddess and then became the goddess of knowledge, the arts and sciences (and much more).
This poem soars sweetly, smelling of jasmine, but looping lovely through some poetic wormhole in time, and beyond, dancing with other dimensions with its leg wrapped around my thigh; love the juxtapositions. If science know no holy ground on which it fears to tread, then by AllThatIs poetry has no fear, no boundaries, spewing logic & love like the earth mother, like a bouquet of clover, and you are both priestess & siren with your poetics keeping me afloat. (smile) love the line /lotus hands wield the vina/, but had to look “vina” up as an Indian string instrument; actually (blush) thought it was what produced G-spot reactions.
Haha, well perhaps that’s an example of applying your own filter. Yes, the vina is one of Saraswati’s associated symbols and unlike the lotus doesn’t seem to point to female sexuality. Love the wormholes as they create the wildest rides and I do believe poetry is one of the few unbounded spaces we have left in our cynical world. Thank you for your always fascinating comments.
The lotus imagery/theme is beautiful, Anna. Love the Saraswati reference. One thing I’ll always remember from studying Eastern/Hindu/Krishna philosophy is that certain deities were described as having lotus feet – that even when they walked the earth, their feet did not ever touch the earth. Amazing photo.
Yes, lotus feet, such a beautiful idea, walking in purity. Thanks so much for the visit and kind words. Most especially for not requiring your poetry prechewed :D.
strumming the perfection… this is as exquisite as the goddess herself.
Jane, I’m blushing so much I may never recover :D.
Just loved the jasmine coloured moon lights the path…
Thank you, my favorite phrase too.
Beautiful imagery
Thank you Marousia, I look forward to reading yours.
I looked at this image and got lost in it, found myself sitting next to the pond and feeling the peace. What a wonder of a poem appeared for you. Gorgeous.
Thank you Beth, I got lost in it as well :).
not imprecision, impression-ism, that lustre glancing off the form–
I did not get all of this, Anna, but I so liked all the lights, the swan, the billions of tiny parts that take this photo and the painting together with you into the lab.
Susan, yes, how beautifully you’ve expressed it.
I read this and thought it was a perfect self-portrait piece. This poem describes YOU, Anna!
Sheila, now I’m blushing all over again though I had absolutelly no intention of writing anything personal today. Guess this is what I should have written for Fred’s self portrait prompt instead of that dissertation on consciousness :D!
no intention? that darn old subconscious mind must be at it again – lol!
Damn psychology :D!
You have captured the essence of Saraswati..the goddess of all knowledge and art…very well done, enjoyed it greatly, thanks
Thank you Nilanjana, that was my intent, so wonderful to hear you think I succeeded!
You really have my brain working in a wonderful, beautiful way!
The process of reading mirrors the subject, how magnificent!
neat eye with the Monet Anna, really could be an inset in many ways. Love the flow in here, perfect for the water and title. Excellent reading as well, bunch of words to get tripped up on but you flew right threw it, like there was nothing to it:) Great piece. Thanks
Thank you, flow was very important, I appreciate you seeing the connections. Oh, you know I don’t trip up on words :D.
A wonderful poem made even better by the additional audio recording ~ so good to hear you, Anna, you voice enhances the ethereal element to this poem
Thank you so much Polly, I thought it would be fun and add something.
Good use of the Monet reference.
jasmine colored moon lights the path
from stimulus to response
also resonated with me.
Thanks, my favorite part as well.
I clearly see the homage to Saraswati and her connection with the arts…done in your own unique way, Anna. Beautiful…
Big smiles – so lovely to see you again.
the photo looks like leaves over a galaxy.
the words are beautiful.
you make beautiful dreams.
Oooo, I like your interpretation of the photograph. Thank you for the warm fuzzies :).
I like the imagery of the swan in a pond superimposed on neural network pulsing electric diagram, which is how I picture it as I hear you read the middle strophe and on. Scientific terms and carefully chosen mythos (correct term?) — so skillfully blended together — I think, is one of the keys that contribute depth and uniqueness to these poems of yours.
I was thrilled to see a new post at your place (I never get a notification). Thank you, I thought her attendant symbols would work well with this exploration of neuroscience. It’s always a pleasure to see you here.
A beautiful painting of words. 🙂
It was inspired :D.
The Consort of the Deist’s quiet creator god Brahma: I am familar with her flowingness, nurturing of knowledge and riding the swan of inquisitiveness. [use to live in India – the devanagari (the script of the gods) in the title drew me over to read this.]
The neuro-connections are fun. Two areas of knowledge I actually have some roots in, so I can actually feel this poem.
Nicely done.
Thank you, I think this is the nicest thing you’ve said to me.
Ouch — a little backhanded, that. I realize poetry blog culture is largely flowery compliments – a questioning voice or honest critical opinion may be viewed as “mean” or “rude” in such a world.
I apologize, I did not mean to imply that you are mean or rude. I did not intend offense.