How Vision Influences Perception

A few years ago I played around with natural means of improving my vision, using eye exercises etc. One of the things I explored was the psychological impact of vision – I noticed that wearing glasses tended to make me more logical and analytical, whereas fuzzy (unassisted) vision tended to put me in a more relaxed contemplative state. Here is a poem that emerged during these investigations. Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? Why not comment below.  I’d love to hear about your experience!

My Fuzzy Eyes

My fuzzy eyes see a world still new,
Free of defect and gently hued.
They do not see the cracks and stains,
The dirt, the scuff marks or hairy drains.

An impressionist world opens up instead,
A needlepoint tapestry of delicate thread,
With subtle textures that when softly viewed
Create in me a kindly mood.

The scattered litter in the grass
And the gleaming shards of broken glass
Become but flowers growing in the light
And sparkling dew, like diamonds bright.

Now, I do have the latest in optical gear,
One pair for far, and another for near.
They show me a world that’s crisp and true
Not one single detail do they misconstrue.

So I can read tiny print in a magazine
And when driving, road hazards are easily seen,
But when all’s said and done, I realize
I much prefer my fuzzy eyes.

© Copyright 2002 by Gail Christel Behrend — All Rights Reserved

Catching a Passing Poem

It’s funny how poems arrive when you least expect them – the wild ones, that is. The opening lines of this one came zinging through my head as I was standing on one leg in the middle of a  yoga posture…

My Pet Ego

I have a pet ego
I keep it on a string
It leaps and snaps at empty air
And snarls at most anything.

It chases after anyone who runs from it in fear
And gets downright annoying when a flea gets in its ear.
It digs away compulsively after every elusive bone
Then refuses to come quietly when I try to bring it home.

Now, you might ask
What is it then that makes me keep this pet?
A question that I ask myself
When things get all upset!

The answer is, if truth be told,
And if you really want to know,
I keep this strange annoying pet
‘Cause it entertains me so!

© Copyright 1998 by Gail Christel Behrend — All Rights Reserved