Myths as Poems

Thomas Doty – Storyteller

Image.

Myths as Poems

Experience myths as poems, and they are luminous. Read them as newspaper reports, and they just don't spark. Connotation rather than denotation. This is true of all mythologies, from Native American myths to Bible stories.

The truths of the myths are profound, and we are hardwired to respond to them emotionally. They teach us about being alive, understanding and getting along with each other, and our relationships with the earth and all creatures who call this planet home. And who knows how far beyond. These truths are not only local and personal, they are truly universal!

If read as documentation, myths are a mishmash of unenlightened facts that often disagree with each other. Experienced as poems, myths radiate truth.