Complete disorder; confusion ; anarchy; randomness; formless matter before
creation of universe; greek god Chaos- the first created being giving birth to
primeval gods. The idea is that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in Argentina could cause a tornado in Texas three weeks later. (Modern chaos theory) “the least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold”
(Aristotle OTH, 271b8).
Primordial chaos existed before the creation of the universe
so why am I surprised at the way things are?
Maybe there was something so neat around that separation of night and day
of earth and water, of planets and stars
I expected order to continue. An intelligent neatness to prevail
As the gaping void of chaos birthed its human avatar
“But the smallest deviation
from the truth can multiply
itself a thousand times or more
Like Aristotle, or fruit flies”
“So a butterfly flaps its fragile wings
in Argentina and produces, not Torrontes say,
but a tornado in Texas three weeks later predictable to the day”
Primeval gods, like Gaia and Erebus, Eros and Nyx
emerged from chaos at the dawn of time beyond the morning stars
Does any of this explain the mess
that still persists upon my desk?
If I tidied more, and created less,
would the rules of chaos finally be transgressed?
Eileen Neil