When You Lean

 
'Lean' is one of those words used quite a lot. There are two nuances to the same physical position that it describes. 'To lean' suggests being in an oblique state. 'Lean on' means to be in that state but with a means of support. Being inside a church, the previous photo may represent an allegory of faith, in the sense that the balustrade by which the men are resting symbolises its strength, able to support the weight of mortality as it were. We might thank the Mosaic laws which are enactments of the divine will towards a robust moral frame we can 'lean on', perchance to found a civilisation.

In front of the leaning men can be found this treasure of art. The tomb of Pope Julius II by Michelangelo, guarded by the sculpture of Moses, the law giver himself.

A literary critique of the ten commandments may well reveal: syntactical flaws, masculine assumptions, revisionist rhetoric, etc.. but that kind of analysis is beyond the scope of this online journal, as it seems a bit like asking what lies beyond the Universe.

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