Grooks by Piet Hein

Because all of his Grook collections seem to be out of print, it can be very difficult for people to be exposed to Piet Hein's wonderful way with words. This page has a sampling of just five of the thousands of Grooks that this Danish poet/scientist/architect/all-round human being wrote in his lifetime. Please enjoy them. Text and illustrations are owned by Piet Hein's estate and are reprinted here with permission. A bit of background on Piet Hein can be found here.

PROBLEMS

Problems worthy
  of attack
prove their worth
  by hitting back.


THE ETERNAL TWINS

Taking fun
  as simply fun
and earnestness
  in earnest
shows how thoroughly
  thou none
of the two
  discernest.


THE MIRACLE OF SPRING

We glibly talk
 of nature's laws
but do things have
 a natural cause?

Black earth turned into
 yellow crocus
is undiluted
 hocus-pocus.


THE EGOCENTRICS

People are self-centered
to a nauseous degree.
They will keep on about themselves
while I'm explaining me.



THOUGHTS ON A STATION PLATFORM

It ought to be plain
how little you gain
by getting excited
and vexed.

You'll always be late
for the previous train,
and always in time
for the next