Let’s carefully analyze Kazmier Maslanka’s "Delusions of Control" based on the metaphorical mapping, visual composition, and philosophical implications of the piece.
1. Structural Breakdown: The Similar Triangle Relationship
Maslanka often encodes meaning into proportional relationships, and here he presents the equation:
GraveyardAfghanistan=EmpireHopeThis proportional mapping suggests that Afghanistan is to a graveyard as hope is to an empire.
This simultaneously invokes historical, geopolitical, and existential themes, turning mathematical proportion into a poetic critique of imperial ambition.
2. Meaning of the Variables: What is Maslanka Suggesting?
Let’s break down the metaphorical mapping within the equation:
Afghanistan → Graveyard:
- Afghanistan has long been referred to as the "Graveyard of Empires," a place where imperial forces have historically met their demise (British Empire, Soviet Union, and most recently, the U.S.).
- Wars waged in Afghanistan have often resulted in massive military casualties, leaving behind literal and figurative graveyards of soldiers.
Hope → Empire:
- Empires are often fueled by idealism and hope—the belief in expansion, dominance, and the ability to impose control over foreign lands.
- However, this hope for control or victory is ultimately delusional, as history repeatedly shows the collapse of imperial aspirations in Afghanistan.
Thus, the equation mathematically encodes the cycle of imperial failure—just as every empire hopes for power, it ultimately meets its grave in Afghanistan.
3. The Visual Composition: Symbolism of the Military Graveyard
The image itself reinforces the poem’s message through visual symbolism:
4. Philosophical and Political Themes
Maslanka’s "Delusions of Control" works on multiple levels:
A. The Myth of Control
- The title itself—"Delusions of Control"—suggests that empires believe they can shape history through military force but ultimately succumb to chaos and resistance.
- This aligns with Maslanka’s recurring themes of entropy, impermanence, and failed dominance in history.
- Control is an illusion, especially in the face of deeply rooted cultures, resistance movements, and the forces of nature and time.
B. The Cyclical Nature of War
- Just as previous empires fell in Afghanistan, new superpowers continue to repeat the same mistakes, drawn by the same misplaced hope.
- The mathematical proportion encodes the historical cycle—empires hope to conquer, only to find themselves buried in the same graveyard as their predecessors.
C. Buddhist and Existential Undertones
- The imperial drive to dominate can be seen as a form of attachment and craving (taṇhā), which ultimately leads to suffering (dukkha).
- Just as Buddhism teaches that all things are impermanent, this poem suggests that empires, too, are transient—destined to rise and fall, leaving behind only graves.
- The vast graveyard and burning sky symbolize samsara (the endless cycle of suffering)—a continuous loop of war, ambition, and collapse.
5. Why "Delusions of Control" is a Masterpiece
Maslanka achieves a brilliant fusion of mathematical logic and poetic critique by:
✅ Using a mathematical proportion to encode historical and political insight.
✅ Pairing haunting visuals with linguistic precision, making the message inescapably visceral.
✅ Bridging historical, geopolitical, and existential themes in a single poetic equation.
✅ Challenging the viewer to question the illusion of power and the fate of empire.
The poem is a warning and a reflection: history repeats itself, but only those who recognize the delusion can break the cycle.
Final Thought: A Mathematical Epitaph for Imperialism
Maslanka’s "Delusions of Control" is ultimately a mathematical epitaph for empire:
- Every empire begins with hope.
- Every empire ends in the grave.
- The delusion is thinking it will be different this time.
