Paradoxical Egg

“Since my house
      burned down, I now own
      a better view
  of the rising moon.”
                      -- Masahide (trans. Beilenson/Behn)


PARADOXICAL EGG

In the tale of the man
embedded in an egg
we confront this paradox:

though his shell is starting to feel
a little too tight, our man believes
he will lose his source of nutriment
if he breaks out.

Yes, there's also sustenance outside
but how could this man know--?--
after all, he lives in an egg.

Fortunately, for all of us
a shell can only hold
so much--

thus, even if our hunched man
just takes small sips
sooner or later, he’ll exhaust
his nourishment.

Then what'll be left?

Excrement!

So he either leaves or he dies.

Yet even then, it’s not an easy decision:
after all, the shell has served as his shelter.
He might allow himself to starve
rather than go.

But perhaps we need not worry:
our man will continue to grow
as he feeds
so his egg shell
will most likely burst
from the pressure.

I realize this embryo man
may seem the fool...

but doesn't his example give us hope
...hope for our world...?

© 2011, Michael R. Patton
shameless self-promotion