A Contribution to Statistics -- Wislawa Szymborska

Guest poem sent in by Sashidhar Dandamudi

(Poem #1267) A Contribution to Statistics Out of a hundred people those who always know better -fifty-two doubting every step -nearly all the rest, glad to lend a hand if it doesn't take too long -as high as forty-nine, always good because they can't be otherwise -four, well maybe five, able to admire without envy -eighteen, suffering illusions induced by fleeting youth -sixty, give or take a few, not to be taken lightly -forty and four, living in constant fear of someone or something -seventy-seven, capable of happiness -twenty-something tops, harmless singly, savage in crowds -half at least, cruel when forced by circumstances -better not to know even ballpark figures, wise after the fact -just a couple more than wise before it, taking only things from life -thirty (I wish I were wrong), hunched in pain, no flashlight in the dark -eighty-three sooner or later, righteous -thirty-five, which is a lot, righteous and understanding -three, worthy of compassion -ninety-nine, mortal -a hundred out of a hundred. thus far this figure still remains unchanged. -- Wislawa Szymborska

Comments:

Since today's poem by Seth (Poem #1226) to me read like a "listing", I
remembered this poem by Szymborska (phew! they should ask this in a
Spelling Bee), which I was reading the other night from the latest
anthology of the Favorite Poem Project. Well, no more commentry because
the poem speaks for itself.

Sashi