Review of Emolution (Saturday 30th September 2000)

Emolution is a contemplative and nuanced exploration of spiritual awakening, personal sovereignty, and the transformative power of love, framed through a brief but potent interaction between the poet and a modern-day evangelist figure. The poem invites reflection on faith, myth, and individual experience, weaving theological motifs with a distinctly contemporary and personal lens.

The poem begins with an anecdote—an encounter with a “gospel-Jesus-taxi-guy” who quotes a profound biblical assertion:

“I Am The Way and The Light”
This immediate invocation of Christ’s famous self-description situates the poem in the tension between traditional religious narrative and personal spiritual inquiry. The poet’s resistance to conversion is telling—not rejection of spirituality per se, but an openness that is tempered by individual discernment:
“I resisted being converted
But the debate was highly interesting”
This sets a tone of respectful skepticism, allowing the poem to navigate the complex space between inherited belief systems and contemporary personal spirituality.

The poet then delves deeper into the essence of what Jesus (whether as historical figure, myth, or archetype) represents:

“If JC really did exist
Then he must have been way ahead of the curve”
Here, the poem situates Jesus not merely as religious icon but as a timeless exemplar of self-realization and inner connection. This idea that walking with Jesus is “choosing to walk in the Presence of Love” transforms the external figure into an invitation toward an internal process:
“He lives on, resurrected within
As a shining example of one’s own true potential”
This shift from external salvation to internal awakening is central to the poem’s thesis. The qualities attributed to this resurrected presence—power without control, strength without force, humility without weakness, faith without doubt, love without conditions—embody a sacred masculinity that is balanced, authentic, and aligned with spiritual integrity.

The poem’s title, Emolution, cleverly combines “emotion” and “evolution,” signaling an ongoing inner transformation driven by heartfelt experience. This theme blossoms further with a visionary appeal to collective awakening:

“Imagine ten, twenty, fifty enlightened good men
In full activation of their divine sacred masculine
Co-operating in partnership
With the divine sacred feminine”
This vision of balance and partnership extends from the personal to the global, suggesting that spiritual emancipation is not only possible but inevitable through the collective activation of divine masculine and feminine energies. It underscores the poem’s deeply hopeful and activist undercurrent—a call to spiritual revolution grounded in love and authentic power.

The concluding lines affirm the importance of personal agency and individual pathways:

“But whatever works for you
Or gets you through
And is a uniquely personal one-to-one.”
This acknowledgment reinforces the poem’s inclusive and non-dogmatic stance. It honors the diversity of spiritual experience, while emphasizing the core truth that awakening is fundamentally an intimate, personal journey.

Stylistically, Emolution is characterized by conversational clarity and a gentle flow that mirrors the unfolding of thought. The absence of formal punctuation and the free verse structure allow ideas to cascade organically, reflecting the fluidity of spiritual inquiry and emotional evolution.

Conclusion

Emolution is a heartfelt and open meditation on faith, identity, and transformation. Through a small encounter with a charismatic messenger, the poet opens a door into larger questions about divine potential, inner sovereignty, and the synergy between sacred masculine and feminine energies. The poem’s gentle call to imagine a world awakened to love and balance offers a quiet but powerful invitation to walk one’s unique spiritual path with courage and authenticity.