by | February 21, 2011 · 12:34 pm
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Dice by Catherine Russell

text upon a screen
fingers hitting keys
hairless apes
commonly descended
from ancestors
evolved from life
begun at the single cell level

the oceans
the plants
the sun hitting the atmosphere
the planet orbiting the sun
at just over 67,000 miles per hour

The moon
stars
galaxies
a cosmic coincidence
just right to form the life
sitting here questioning its meaning

.

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21 Comments

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21 responses to “Dice by Catherine Russell”

  1. susan
    February 25, 2011 at 5:20 am

    Nicely done, Catherine. I like that all the setting of the universe swirls around this single figure sitting still.

    Reply
  2. Cathy Webster
    February 25, 2011 at 10:35 am

    How insignificant we are… love the title. Reminds me of Bruce Cockburn’s song, ‘Tokyo,’ where we’re all just dice bouncing around in a cup.
    (But if we’re all hairless apes, how come I have to shave my legs so often?)

    Reply
  3. John Wiswell
    February 25, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    I keep my single-cell relatives around. I think if you flash a black light around, you’ll find they have several apartments in my keyboard. We discuss meaning together, in the language of tappity-tap.

    Reply
  4. Michael
    February 25, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    Beyond priceless. Wonderful.

    Reply

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  6. Len Kuntz
    February 25, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    great macro view of our insignificance.

    Reply
  7. adampb
    February 26, 2011 at 1:13 am

    The deepest of questions expressed with clarity and brevity.
    Adam B

    Reply
  8. Marcus Speh
    February 26, 2011 at 5:13 am

    oh, catherine, this is wonderful! it brings up a lot of associations and thoughts, too. makes me want to say, as if from a great height, from far away: i hear you, people.

    Reply
  9. Dorothee
    February 26, 2011 at 7:06 am

    loved this!
    such a beautiful poetic orbit.

    Reply
  10. Kim Hutchinson
    February 26, 2011 at 7:06 am

    This is magical. Love that it leaves me with a sense of both wonder and many questions.

    Reply
  11. Jason Warden
    February 26, 2011 at 10:05 am

    Insignificant are we in the vastness, yet, if we weren’t here to observe it, would it be so vast?

    Reply
  12. Jason Warden
    February 26, 2011 at 10:05 am

    And I should also say before hitting enter… Very well done!

    Reply
  13. Matt Potter
    February 26, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Ha – this is what makes me think I should review my idea about poetry:
    a cosmic coincidence
    just right to form the life
    sitting here questioning its meaning
    A great ending, Catherine.

    Reply
  14. ganymeder
    February 27, 2011 at 7:24 am

    Thank you. Your comments are much appreciated. :)

    Reply

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  17. Tom Allman
    February 27, 2011 at 7:39 pm

    Love it! The answer is 42 BTW; thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  18. museshack
    February 27, 2011 at 10:57 pm

    The old Evolutionary conundrum of a monkey and a typewriter used to reflect on one’s own place in the universe while writing…I love it.

    Reply
  19. Blackbirdsong
    February 28, 2011 at 12:34 am

    I love the thought that the world is spinning and we’re missing so many wonderful things because of how we’re spending out time tap tap tapping. Profound.

    Reply
  20. LindaSW
    March 3, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    wow. this is so evocative. the title a perfect frame. peace…

    Reply

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