The Pomegranate

Once when I was living in the heart of a pomegranate, I heard a seed saying,
"Someday I shall become a tree, and the wind will sing in my branches,
and the sun will dance on my leaves,
and I shall be strong and beautiful through all the seasons."

Then another seed spoke and said, "When I was as young as you, I too held such views;
but now that I can weigh and measure things, I see that my hopes were in vain."

And a third seed spoke also, "I see nothing that promises so great a future."

And a fourth said, "But what a mockery our life would be, without a greater future."

Said a fifth, "Why dispute what we are, that we shall continue to be."

But whatever we are, that we shall continue to be."

And a seventh said, "I have such a clear idea of how everything will be,
but I cannot put it into words."

Then an eighth spoke--and a ninth--and a tenth--and then many--until all were speaking,
and I could distinguish nothing for the many voices.

And so I moved that day into the heart of a quince,
where the seeds are few and almost silent.

~Khalil Gibran