Humanist Metaphors from Iran
by Ann Young, NSW
President, Council of Australian Humanist Societies, Aged 60
In the mural I have painted on the external wall of Humanist House in Sydney I have attempted to depict visually as much Humanist philosophy and culture as I could.
The far end of the mural has revealed itself as alluding to death. There are two poets who provide metaphors that I picture: Omar Khayyam and William Ernest Henly.
The front part of the mural was painted by Kyle who painted a silver Happy Humanist, our logo, on the front of the building and a self portait with spray can, at the end of his part of the design. So I painted a self portrait in silver at the end of my part of the mural. This provided a "shining foot" . All I had to add was some grass and then some wine glasses down-turned in the same configuration as the Southern Cross.
"And when thyself with shining foot shall pass
Among the guests star-scattered on the grass
And in they joyous errand reach the spot
Where I made one - turn down an empty glass!"
Omar Khayyam
Above this I have depicted a gate or door through which we see the light at the end of the tunnel described in many near-death experiences but then a veil past which we cannot see.
"There was a door to which I found no key:
There was a veil past which I could not see:
Some little talk awhile of me and thee
There seemed - and then no more of thee and me."
Omar Khayyam
"It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
William Ernest Henly
In the mural there are other references to the poetry of Omar Khayyam. For instance the idea that the ground incorporates dead bodies; that no matter how great or wise you think you are eventually your mouth will be "stopp'ed with dust" So there is a sea of hands growing out of the ground and there are mouths below stopped with dust. It carries my personal grief for loved ones who have died.
"One moment in annihilation's waste,
One moment of the well of life to taste -
The stars are setting and the caravan
Starts for the dawn of nothing - Oh, make haste!"
"Come, fill the cup, and in the fire of spring
The winter garment of repentence fling:
The bird of time has but a little way
To fly - and Lo! the bird is on the wing."
"Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough,
A flask of wine, a book of verse- and thou
Beside me singing in the wilderness -
And wilderness is paradise enow."
"Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the wise
To talk, one thing is certain, that life flies:
One thing is certain, and the rest is lies;
The flower that once has blown forever dies."
"The moving finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit,
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all they tears wash out a word of it."
Omar Khayyam
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2010