(no subject)

[fajrdrako]

duncanmac today posted an item on grooks - a delightful linguistic/conceptual/poetic form invented and perfected by Piet Hein. duncanmac pointed out that unfortunately they are all out of print - which really is a pity. Browsing certain grooks on numerous websites, I found a few half-forgotten favourites:

A PSYCHOLOGICAL TIP

Whenever you're called on 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.

(I've always found that to be true.)

~ ~ ~

CONSOLATION GROOK

Losing one glove
is certainly painful,
but nothing
compared to the pain,
of losing one,
throwing away the other,
and finding
the first one again.

~ ~ ~

MISSING LINK

Man's a kind
of Missing Link,
fondly thinking
he can think.

~ ~ ~

Comments

[msilverstar]

I do that with flipping coins!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, so do I - it really works!

[ceruleancat.livejournal.com]

I do that with the chance thing. Not with an actual coin, of course. Works for me. Thanks for this.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

Now the coin flipping thing really does work (regardless of whether you literally flip a coin or not), even when it still doesn't reveal the answer you want, it can show you that you don't really care and picking either choice is okay.

When you have three choices... that's when it gets tricky.

my system isn't binary

[ceruleancat.livejournal.com]

I think of the options as lined before me and then I think "1st on the left" or "3rd from the right" or something like it. I do that when people ask me to choose for them too. They usually end up having some preference after all. Doesn't usually work with Adam though.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the extra grooks.

I notice that new grooks are still being composed -- Wikipedia quoted the following (anonymous) example on their page about grooks:

EDIAMATIC
Know it all cold?
Or lank with acedia?
Share and be bold;
Come build Wikipedia.

[Obvious question: what is "acedia" supposed to be?]
Apparently, "abebooks" [www.abebooks.com] has references to some used copies of Piet Hein's Grooks, but I still wish it were easier to obtain them new.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Acedia - from wikipedia: "In Roman Catholicism, sloth (latin: accidia, pigritia) is one of the seven deadly sins, and is defined as spiritual apathy or laziness, putting off what God asks you to do, or not doing it at all. Acedia is a Latin word, from Greek akedia, literally meaning "absence of caring".

I knew it from French poetry of the 19th century - the term 'accidie' meaning ennui, or apathy with the world - a kind of spiritual depression. I'd never come across 'acedia' as the English version before. Cool word!