Decisions
by Boris Novak (tr. Dintinjana)
Between two words
choose the quieter one.
Between word and silence
choose listening.
Between two books
choose the dustier one.
Between the earth and the sky
choose a bird.
Between two animals
choose the one who needs you more.
Between two children
choose both.
Between the lesser and the bigger evil
choose neither.
Between hope and despair
choose hope:
it will be harder to bear.
by Boris Novak (tr. Dintinjana)
Between two words
choose the quieter one.
Between word and silence
choose listening.
Between two books
choose the dustier one.
Between the earth and the sky
choose a bird.
Between two animals
choose the one who needs you more.
Between two children
choose both.
Between the lesser and the bigger evil
choose neither.
Between hope and despair
choose hope:
it will be harder to bear.
1 comment:
This is a wonderful poem because of the depth that is hard to see at first. The poem seems to be an optimistic exploration of following your own path and failing to let normative dichotomies define your choices or decisions, but upon further examination is actually a bitter and seething indictment of the society that forces these choices. What appears a confident and rose-coloured worldview reveals itself to be, in fact, the desperate pleas of a jaded cynic. By casting his petition in light or sanguine language, the author shows us how they once thought and implores us not to let the world break us like it did them. Big thanks to Ms. Kartalay for introducing me to this incredible work of art, and for the poster of this poem for allowing comments.
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