The First Function of Mythology

Consciousness
 Has other notions
 Of how things ought to be
 What virtue is
 And so on
 One of the problems
 That man has to face
 Is reconciling himself to the foundations of his own existence
 And this is the first function of mythology
 This is the first function of mythology
 That reconciliation
 Of consciousness
 With the mystery of being
 This is the first function of mythology
 Not
 Criticizing it
 Shakespeare in his definition of art in Hamlet
 Where he says
 "Art holds the mirror up to nature"
 Is a perfect definition
 I would say
 Of the first function of mythology
 When you hold the mirror
 Up to your self
 Your consciousness becomes aware
 Of its support
 What it is
 What it is
 That is supporting it
 You may be shocked
 At what you see
 You may be greatly pleased
 But one way or another
 You become aware
 Of yourself
 Your consciousness becomes aware of that darkness
 That being
 Which came into being
 Out of darkness
 And which is its own support
 And this is the first function of mythology
 This is the first function of mythology
 That reconciliation
 Of consciousness
 With the mystery of being
 This is the first function of mythology
 And the realization
 Of their mystery
 As something
 That consciousness
 Is not going to be able to criticize
 Not even going to be able to elucidate
 Not even going to be able to name
 It is something
 Beyond naming
 Beyond all definition
 That is the first point
 And when that is lost
 One loses this sense of awe
 Which Goethe calls
 "The best thing in man."
 One loses the sense of gratitude
 For one's privilege
 Of having
 This
 Center of consciousness
 Aware of these things
 And this is the first function of mythology
 This is the first function of mythology
 That reconciliation
 Of consciousness
 With the mystery of being
 This is the first function of mythology