Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Miracle / Not a Miracle

Einstein - I covet his hair! - Wikipedia image


There are two ways to live: you can live 
as if nothing is a miracle; 
you can live as if everything is a miracle.
Albert Einstein


Rain sluices down the windows, day after day.
Inside, she looks out at the dismal grayness
and tears roll down her cheeks.
There will never be sunshine.

 Trees gratefully lift their branches in relief
as the autumn rains sluice down.
This is their first real drink since spring.
How miraculous is nature's design.

 Wolves can be seen at the edge of the meadow.
Quick! grab the gun! Fire shots into the air!
See if you can scare them off!

 Wolves can be seen at the edge of the meadow.
Quick! Grab the camera!
See if you can capture a beautiful memory.

 The apples are falling all over the grass,
rotting and making a horrible mess.
What a drag, to have to pick them up every fall.
We should cut this tree down.

 Apples are falling all over the grass.
Let's leave them, so the deer and bear
will find snacks waiting for them
when they pass by.

 She is having a baby and she's just seventeen,
a baby having a baby. What a disaster it will be.

 She is having a baby. Though she's just seventeen,
still, a baby is a miracle and, somehow,
they will find a way.

 It is just an ordinary day.
Nothing is happening.
The hours tick by uneventfully.

 It is just an ordinary day.
Nothing is happening.
The hours tick by uneventfully.
Ella set us quotes from Albert Einstein as a prompt at Wonder? Wednesday, over at Poets United. The quote I used is one of my favorite quotations. 
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15 comments:

  1. DaydreamertooNovember 7, 2012 at 9:51 AM

    The quote fits perfectly with your poem Sherry. I love how you took the negatives in this and turned them so neatly into positives, especially for the wolves and bears :)
    Lovely.

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  2. ElizabethNovember 7, 2012 at 10:02 AM

    Just as there are only two ways to live, there are two ways to look, or see:full or empty. Nothing works only half way. Thanks Sherry for the reminder and the memories your words encouraged,

    Elizabeth
    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/shades-of-green/

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  3. EllaNovember 7, 2012 at 10:58 AM

    Magic in the reflections of your thoughts! I love how you did this and I might borrow it, but I will saw I was inspired by YOU! I love that you chose this quote and all that you shared :D
    Such a wonderful poem!
    @>--------

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  4. ariverflowsbyNovember 7, 2012 at 11:54 AM

    yes, but what of live and let live?
    and to give so as to let live?

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  5. AnonymousNovember 7, 2012 at 12:12 PM

    Loved every bit of it.. thanks for sharing it with us..

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  6. AnonymousNovember 7, 2012 at 12:19 PM

    I love the different perspectives (of the wolves especially...).

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  7. MaryNovember 7, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    I like this, Sherry. There are always different ways of looking at a topic. One can look positively or negatively. One can find a miracle in the ordinary if one wishes to.

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  8. aelfbeeNovember 7, 2012 at 5:33 PM

    Especially loved the ending. The perfect conclusion that says it all.

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  9. S.E.IngrahamNovember 7, 2012 at 6:55 PM

    As always, you have made us look at multiple perspectives - Einstein would've loved you - I know I do ... I think we share an affinity for wolves m'dear. (do check the blog this time if you get a chance, I've "freed" of the elephant as per your suggestion and he truly is splendid!)

    http://leapinelephants.blogspot.ca/2012/11/wherein-greatest-advises-science.html

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  10. Jennifer WagnerNovember 7, 2012 at 7:23 PM

    Brilliant. I love how you did this Sherry...and the final pairing is pure genius!

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  11. Sabio LantzNovember 8, 2012 at 9:09 AM


    Sherry, I loved this -- the negative perspective, followed by a positive view. But the last stanza stumped me -- they were the same. Was that a typo?

    I know many think this tabboo, but let me guess how I imagine you ending it (especially considering Einstein's quote and your flow in the previous verses).

    So I expected something like this for the last two stanzs:L

    It is just an ordinary day.
    Nothing is happening.
    The hours tick by uneventfully.

    It is another miraculously ordinary day.
    Everything is happening.
    The hours tick by meaningfully.

    [Hope you don't mind the experimentation] :-)

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  12. PanchaliNovember 8, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    Sherry, That's a beautiful piece...and it blends perfectly with the words of the quote!!
    Well done!

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  13. Carrie Van HornNovember 8, 2012 at 1:42 PM

    I love the way you captured the positive in the negative situation.....that is what a hopeful heart can do....and that in itself is a miracle! Love this Sherry! :-)

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  14. Sherry Blue SkyNovember 8, 2012 at 5:21 PM

    Thanks so much, kids........Sabio, thanks for your suggestion. I like it a lot. I intentionally repeated that stanza to underline that an ordinary uneventful day can be just that, but also that "ordinary days" ARE miracles in themselves, that we need to be grateful for. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments.

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  15. my heart's love songsNovember 9, 2012 at 12:58 AM

    lovely contrasts throughout ~ so effective at showing the difference one's outlook can make!

    ♥

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