Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Common place miracles

Good morning, dear readers. My Tennessee poet friend, Karen, sends along another gift:

Miracle Fair

by Wislawa Szymborska

 

The commonplace miracle:

that so many common miracles take place.

 

The usual miracles:

invisible dogs barking

in the dead of night.

 

One of many miracles:

a small and airy cloud

is able to upstage the massive moon.

 

Several miracles in one:

an alder is reflected in the water

and is reversed from left to right

and grows from crown to root

and never hits bottom

though the water isn't deep.

 

A run-of-the-mill miracle:

winds mild to moderate

turning gusty in storms.

 

A miracle in the first place:

cows will be cows.

 

Next but not least:

just this cherry orchard

from just this cherry pit.

 

A miracle minus top hat and tails:

fluttering white doves.

 

A miracle (what else can you call it):

the sun rose today at three fourteen a.m.

and will set tonight at one past eight.

 

A miracle that's lost on us:

the hand actually has fewer than six fingers

but still it's got more than four.

 

A miracle, just take a look around:

the inescapable earth.

 

An extra miracle, extra and ordinary:

the unthinkable

can be thought.

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