The Pomegranate

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

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

And a third seed spoke also, "I see in us nothing that promises sogreat a future."

And a fourth said, "But what a mockery our life would be, withouta greater future!"

Said a fifth, "Why dispute what we shall be, when we know not evenwhat we are."

But a sixth replied, "Whatever we are, that we shall continue tobe."

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

Then an eight spoke--and a ninth--and a tenth--and then many--untilall were speaking, and I could distinguish nothing for the manyvoices.

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