Friday, March 8, 2013

Some Numbered Proverbs

Talks today often include numbered lists, but their organization is primarily logical. I enjoy the numbered lists in the Book of Proverbs because their organization is primarily poetic.

So recently, I tried writing some numbered proverbs of my own. 


Five things are heavy to be borne:
the expectations of a friend in need
the body of a sleeping child 
the shame of freshly shattered pride
the mass of possessions that gather in a house
and the burden placed on a bishop's heart


Four things are difficult to change:
the assumptions of a people
a reputation built up over time
a thoughtlessly-formed habit 
and an offended person's mind


Three things calm a woman who grinds teeth when she sleeps: 
an old debt finally settled
a child who takes a righteous spouse
and a silent answer to a cried-out prayer


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful and thought-provoking.
    And also apt to get Dorothy Parker rambling on in my head:

    Four be the things I am better without:
    Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt...

    Which is not such a bad thing, either.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Splendid! I like poetry and this is touching my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks! I appreciate this...

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails