AMERICONORMAN

I chose to put this topic under the category of Religion because for a serious student of Objectivism, the philosophy takes the place of where religion once was or where it could have lay. Since Ayn Rand is the originator of that philosophy, the fountainhead, if you like, it is fitting to discuss her birthday here. Ayn Rand herself felt for her philosophy and man and reality with the same passion that serios religious men feel for their religion, often shown as the epitome of loyal passion, for example in the figure of Joan of Ark. Ayn Rand discusses her position on the religious feeling in her introduction to The Fountainhead (25 years), one of my favorite things I know she has written.

I thought this would be a good way to inspire people here to spend some time of contemplation about Miss Rand. Perhaps if you would like to share, in what ever literary genre you like, why you love Ayn Rand? "What has she done for me lately?"

Lately, thinking of her inspired a poem in me, that I wrote today, which is my form of tribute to her. I hope others answer the question in which ever way you please.

AYN RAND 101
By Jose Gainza

I felt one day the gift that you could bring.
I fell one day from the cloud that I was in,
As you struck me like a lightning bolted sting,
Plucked me from the fog that blocked my sin.

I was raindrops, tear drops, tears of joy …
I grew wings, floated, fluttered back to earth,
To find the promise of your love and not a ploy,
For the force bubbling in me where is mirth.

There was the promise of a healthy happiness,
There, the esteem, though hiding, of my mind,
And liberty was the beacon to my bliss,
And gold became a product of my reasoned selfishness.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Yes, you love me to the range that I’m a man,
Though, you left our world in nineteen eighty-two.
Yes, you graced us with a gift of worldly span
For every able minded will to learn it too.

In Howard Roark bestowed was your “religion”,
Despite a world that would surely call you Sin:
The independence of a man to his good vision,
And integrity to create the world that you can win.

With Dominique you alienated heaven,
A realm on earth where mirth is felt alone;
A work of self-esteem branding earthly heaven;
A joy persists despite her melancholy drone.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

It was the promise of Francisco very soon,
Those early pages of a boy, a prodigy,
The money-maker and the boy with silver spoon,
Who caught me to your rebirth poetry.

“Atlas Shrugged changed my life,” so often said.
The promise-wish of sages past with Galt became fulfilled:
A perfect moral man made real—though not dead.
Thus the John Galt line is mine; this be my guild.

I saw a world where happiness is real.
I knew for sure how needed is the mind;
I felt the innocence to feel a self-love real;
I learned money was the best way to be greedy but so kind.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Though now you lay still in your plotted ground,
One aspect of your spirit I will always keep
In my mind, as a function, guiding me around:
The gem of “plot” to plunge into the thrilling deep.

I know of causes of some ocean voyages.
I know the fountainhead of dwellings tall.
To lose Roxanne I know the vital series.
I know the reason why New York was lost to all.

I know conflict at the core of man’s excitement.
I know how cool it is to watch the stakes grow high.
To clash opposing values is a magnet-merriment,
And to bang inside of men is an explosion in the sky.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Even more than the fact that we exist,
Of value is to me is how you think.
To think and know men freely must persist,
Straight ahead and not falling from the brink.

I need not pray for a model far away,
Too far, even further than Plato’s silly dream
To know the things before me that can’t stay
Coz they stay but only by a common seam.

And by contrast to near like things
Our concepts glow with a solid essence,
As they are chained to earth by single things,
And open the universe to common sense.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

It is Ayn Rand's birthday. She would have been 101 today. With better health care she could have realistically still have been living. I wrote this poem today especially for the occassion. It is a tribute to her life and ideas. I have never explicitly written a poem in tribute to her before. It's good. But next year's should be better.


Copyright © 2006. Jose Gainza. All Rights Reserved.


AYN RAND 101
By Jose Gainza

I felt one day the gift that you could bring.
I fell one day from the cloud that I was in,
As you struck me like a lightning bolted sting,
Plucked me from the fog that blocked my sin.

I was raindrops, tear drops, tears of joy …
I grew wings, floated, fluttered back to earth,
To find the promise of your love and not a ploy,
For the force bubbling in me where is mirth.

There was the promise of a healthy happiness,
There, the esteem, though hiding, of my mind,
And liberty was the beacon to my bliss,
And gold became a product of my reasoned selfishness.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Yes, you love me to the range that I’m a man,
Though, you left our world in nineteen eighty-two.
Yes, you graced us with a gift of worldly span
For every able minded will to learn it too.

In Howard Roark bestowed was your “religion”,
Despite a world that would surely call you Sin:
The independence of a man to his good vision,
And integrity to create the world that you can win.

With Dominique you alienated heaven,
A realm on earth where mirth is felt alone;
A work of self-esteem branding earthly heaven;
A joy persists despite her melancholy drone.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

It was the promise of Francisco very soon,
Those early pages of a boy, a prodigy,
The money-maker and the boy with silver spoon,
Who caught me to your rebirth poetry.

“Atlas Shrugged changed my life,” so often said.
The promise-wish of sages past with Galt became fulfilled:
A perfect moral man made real—though not dead.
Thus the John Galt line is mine; this be my guild.

I saw a world where happiness is real.
I knew for sure how needed is the mind;
I felt the innocence to feel a self-love real;
I learned money was the best way to be greedy but so kind.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Though now you lay still in your plotted ground,
One aspect of your spirit I will always keep
In my mind, as a function, guiding me around:
The gem of “plot” to plunge into the thrilling deep.

I know of causes of some ocean voyages.
I know the fountainhead of dwellings tall.
To lose Roxanne I know the vital series.
I know the reason why New York was lost to all.

I know conflict at the core of man’s excitement.
I know how cool it is to watch the stakes grow high.
To clash opposing values is a magnet-merriment,
And to bang inside of men is an explosion in the sky.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

Even more than the fact that we exist,
Of value is to me is how you think.
To think and know men freely must persist,
Straight ahead and not falling from the brink.

I need not pray for a model far away,
Too far, even further than Plato’s silly dream
To know the things before me that can’t stay
Coz they stay but only by a common seam.

And by contrast to near like things
Our concepts glow with a solid essence,
As they are chained to earth by single things,
And open the universe to common sense.

I do know why I love you like I do—
I do know why and it’s true.
I do know why you thrill me like you do—
I do know why and you too.

This morning I happened to stop for a moment on Regis and Kelly on t.v. They were marrying a pair of long lost lovers for their Valentine's Day special. So I thought of some wedding vows.

It is not that you complete me
For I am nothing flawed.
And I know you don't deceive me
And yet you have me clawed.

Now around this growing heart lives
A hand that always presses.
Sweet caresses it gives and gives.
It blesses and blesses!

Within my mind is joyous thought
And inspiriation to investigate.
All within that is self-taught
I know you do appreciate.

The work by which I'm driven
You understand.
I am shared amidst our heaven,
And together we stand.

Two powerful beings unite as one,
And toast to their achievmements:
Their pride gracefully won--
Of most sacred commitments.

The delight of your harmony face--
The audacity of your smile,
Your soul they do not deface--
Your pride they do not defile.

I want to live my life with you
In days of ecstasy.
I want to cook delight for you
And realize your fantasy.

I promise to remain true to you--
This you cannot doubt.
I vow to bring challenges to you--
This I do not flout.

I promise to support you if life hurts,
And massage your limbs with ease.
I'll take it easy when my loving hurts.
I'll woo you like a breeze.

I love you as never before nor again,
As your eternal lover,
My worship is part of the bargain.
I am bare without a cover.

And am yours,
while you are mine,
down on fours,
or upright fine.

Jose Gainza.