An Ode To Knowledge

Knowledge is an onion
It appeals to us to peel
Layers upon layers
Reels and reels
Of countless folios
Till its kernel we approach
But which we will never reach nor breach
Lo and behold, we discover to our chagrin
We may get lost in its winding and limitless folds
Or discover, knowledge is a chameleon
It keeps changing colours
No matter how long we pore
Its core we will never score
Knowledge differentially assails us like pouring rain
It depends when, where, who, how, what, why, -
And then you form an opinion
About a phenomenon, your onion

Knowledge can smart the smart in the eye
As the more we grind our onion
The harder it comes at us with an opinion
Till time and reflection wipe the tears in our eyes
And sobers us up to the realization
We need deep contemplation to know the known
It is always a process of knowing
And never a finality of having known
Nothing comes easy
Even crushing a bulb of onion or shallot requires a technique or an opinion
Thousands of disquisitions and discourses can be generated
But from reflection and experiential encounters
We draw our insights, exclusive conclusions and temporary knowledge

Knowledge is an endless oasis
On which we chase mirages of phantom water bodies
Yet deep underneath its harsh and lifeless exterior
Lurk massive aquifers, artesian wells and hidden treasures-
Oil, diamonds, copper, gold, silver, uranium, nitrates, phosphates
It takes ingenuity to tap into its rich store of resources
Wisdom, the key to unlocking knowledge and resourcefulness
It enjoins us to be diligent, patient, persevering, and humble

Knowing, epistemology, gnosis-all on the Sigmoid Learning curve
Knowing, the endless journey of discovery
Deals with what was, what is, what will be, and what ought to be-
That journey may lead us to oases of plenitude
Or into a den of endless rumination and cogitation
'Tis then we come to be enlightened
After trial and error, experimentation, and our five senses, nay a sixth sense
We get to know something, a tip of the iceberg of knowledge
After we know, we get to know we know nothing
Before then, we worship our hubris
And wander about wondering
What wild wilderness the desert of knowledge is
Agnostics, skeptics, gullible believers, all claim knowledge

Do they know what they claim to know?
Except that they know themselves better than anything else they claim to know
We all belong to one class of humanity
We are all born imperfect
To wade through the storms of life willy-nilly
And learn to know our onions
And respect or tolerate other opinions

Kwesi Atta Sakyi
Lusaka

18th November 2014