(A Psychological Moment by Piet Hein, 1905-
1995, Danish poet, designer, and mathematician)
Yesterday’s verse was a poem by Piet Hein, the prolific Danish poet. It was the first poem that he wrote after joining the Resistance against the Nazi regime in Denmark during the War.
Today’s verse is another poem by Piet Hein, another one of his thousands of “grooks,” as he called them. It reflects, in a witty and pithy way, his common-sense approach to life, like his view of the ordinary dandelion. “I think it’s good not to value things just because they are difficult to get, costly. If the dandelion were not so willing and generous and fertile, I’m sure it would be the most highly valued and appreciated flower in the world because it is so beautiful, so optimistic, so simple, so radiating.”
A PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT
Whenever you’re called to make up your mind,
and you’re hampered by not having any,
the best way to solve the dilemma, you’ll find,
is simply by spinning a penny.
No — not so that chance shall decide the affair
while you’re passively standing there moping;
but the moment the penny is up in the air,
you suddenly know what you’re hoping.
What a simple poem can bring me so profound of thought.As a human being,I really hope that I really know what I am really hoping at the moment the penny is up in the air whenever I'm called to make up my mind.
ReplyDeleteI need to keep a penny in my pocket for all those times when "I'm hampered by not having any" mind/brain!
ReplyDelete