Existentialism For Beginners

One of my poems. From 'Part Four: FOOLISH THINGS' of Something That Comes Close, my debut published collection. Available to buy in paperback from Amazon Books, and as an eBook on Kindle, Kobo or Booktopia. Additional information at the bottom of this post.

Existentialism For Beginners

In a previous existence I might have been a gnat or sand fly or some other no-less-insignificant wee beastie with too many legs, gossamer wings and an almost impossibly short life span. On the other hand, of course, it’s always possible (at least theoretically) that I might have been Atawhalpa, sun-god and emperor of the Inca people or Rameses the second, although to be frank, neither of them seems likely.

Gnat or emperor, sand fly or pharaoh, it’s much the same (existentially speaking). Your karma is your karma. You work with what you’ve got and now is all that matters in the end. The rest is idle speculation or wishful thinking: far beyond what we may comprehend. And no amount of worry will reveal a hidden truth or show a bigger picture.

None of which may be exactly existentialist -- or even much of a philosophy -- but no one has ever been sacrificed on the altar of its blissful ignorance.

Illustration by Spike Deane

Something That Comes Close is the debut work of Scottish-born writer Dougie Herd, now living in Australia. Reflections on becoming, on the joy of simple things, on life's hopeful journey. Sometimes sad because life sometimes is. But never despairing or despondent. Cos life's too short.

• Pulse: memory, life and death, loss, dislocation.

• Place: here and there, then and now, home and somewhere else.

• Encounters: the unexpected.

• Foolish Things: some of which are not entirely pointless.

• Waving: the possibility of renewal, the necessity of change, the inevitability of silence.

Words by Dougie Herd. Illustrations by Spike Deane.

Buy your paperback copy at Amazon Books.

Available also on:

• Kindle Store

• Rakuten Kobo

• Booktopia