The Absurdity of Being

Absurdity of Being

Life can often feel mundane or meaningless, drained of color by routine. In this existential visual poem, I grapple with those feelings of absurdism and conformity. Yet as the piece unfolds, a shift occurs — one of realizing that we alone imbue this transient existence with purpose. While we may be just “faceless grains of sand,” our inner light shines brighter than the darkness of existential dread. This poetic journey depicts that universal emotional arc. From grappling with life’s ephemeral nature to finding liberation in living meaningfully.

A Visual Journey

Morning’s routine begins anew, The same old song, the same old hue. What meaning can be found in this? A Sisyphean task that never ends, This boulder up the hill to push, Devoid of purpose, empty and hushed.

The crowds flow by with bowed head, No time for living, focused on bread. Each soul a faceless grain of sand,

Lost in the grind, plans made and canned. Is this the lot of man’s existence? A life without joy or consequence?

Absurdity stares back at me, No point or reason can I see. Yet somewhere deep my spirit soars, Above the chaos, beyond the chores, I close my eyes and hear its call, A voice that whispers, “This is all There is, so live today with heart! Choose meaning, play your part!”

Ah, the serendipity of modern times! One minute you’re scrolling through TikTok, and the next, you’re plunged into a profound exchange with an old high school buddy. Thanks to a cut-off Alan Watts quote about confronting our own mortality. It struck a chord with my existential philosophical tendencies.

So, I got to thinking — really thinking — about this ephemeral gig we call life. It’s a mind-bending paradox, full of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” complexities. On the one hand, we’re compelled to make each moment count, driven by some innate sense that life’s unique, like unearthing an underrated Pink Floyd “Comfortably Numb” track on an old mixtape. Yet, on the flip side, we’re haunted by the fleetingness of it all. It’s like being lost in a Tame Impala “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” song, where time feels infinite and limited.

My poem “The Absurdity of Being” is all about that. It dives headfirst into this emotional tug-of-war that often gets drowned out by daily routines or the TikTok FYP. It’s about pausing — actually pausing — to feel the total weight and lightness of being human.

For some of your own art inspiration, check out my friend David Underwood’s art .