Filler Post

Posted on | December 2, 2009 | No Comments

This week is quickly shaping up to be one of those weeks where I can’t seem to do anything right. I’ve had the urge – several times – to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and wait for it all to be over. I can’t even get my act together to write a “real” blog post. I apologize to you, my 3 (or 5?) readers. You deserve better. However, while I try to find some balance, I humbly offer you one of my favorite poems, from my favorite poet. I promise to be back soon with actual substance. I’ll hope you’ll still be here.

“The Turn of the Century”
By Wislawa Szymborska
Translated from Polish by Joanna Maria Trzeciak

It was supposed to be better than the others, our 20th century,
But it won’t have time to prove it.
Its years are numbered,
its step unsteady,
its breath short.

Already too much has happened
that was not supposed to happen.
What was to come about
has not.

Spring was to be on its way,
and happiness, among other things.
Fear was to leave the mountains and valleys.

The truth was supposed to finish before the lie.
Certain misfortunes
were never to happen again
such as war and hunger and so forth.

These were to be respected:
the defenselessness of the defenseless,
trust and the like.

Whoever wanted to enjoy the world
faces an impossible task.

Stupidity is not funny.
Wisdom isn’t jolly.

Hope
Is no longer the same young girl
et cetera. Alas.

God was at last to believe in man:
good and strong,
but good and strong
are still two different people.

How to live–someone asked me this in a letter,
someone I had wanted
to ask that very thing.

Again and as always,
and as seen above
there are no questions more urgent
than the naive ones.

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