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Monday, May 10, 2010

Piglet

Piglet is the material heroes are made of, a great achiever, a gallant fighter, or a courageous rescuer, a piglet can be found if one looks closely enough, so it has always been, and so we are sure it will always be. He might appear to be the most significant of The Tao of Pooh characters. Yet he is the only one of them that changes, grows, becomes more than what he was in the first place. He does this not by denying his smallness, but by applying it. He accomplishes what he does without accumulating a great ego; inside he remains a very small animal but a very different kind of small animal than he was before.


Animal so shy and small
Dreaming you where bold and tall

Time is swift it races by
Opportunities are born and die

You can be a guiding star
If you make the most of who you are
You can find the hidden doors
To place's now one's ever been before
And the pride you’ll find inside
Is not the kind that’ll make you fall
It's the kind that recognizes
The bigness found in being small

63 comments:

Paul said...

That is a lovely Piglet poem. I have always thought of the original Winnie The Pooh books as the sacred text of the 20th Century. Piglet is a hero and he also represents loyalty and true friendship. They are magical books.

Elisabeth said...

The notion of bigness in smallness is profound, Mariana. And your poem here reflects this. Thank you.

ines said...

What a beautiful post. Such a pretty text indeed. I would love to get the text soon, it seems to be really deep.

M said...

I was wondering how is the profile from some other characters that belong to the book. This one seems to be a very interesting protagonist.

Lydia said...

I am very touched by this beautiful post. Wonderful poem.
I have The Tao of Pooh in one of my shelves upstairs and will take a look at it again, now that I am reminded how special it is.

Jinksy said...

I love piglet too. Have to say, I've met quite a few Tiggers and Eyores in my time - the bouncers and the pessimists - even one or two Rabbits - too busy to stand still for a moment. I agree with Paul about the 20th century sacred text angle.

Paul Andrew Russell said...

What a lovely post and poem, Mariana. :-)

The biggest and loudest aren't always the bravest. Still waters run deep.

Uncle Tree said...

That was a very sweet poem, Mariana!

Piglet accepts himself as he is. If he becomes more, or something other than what he is, it's seen in our eyes only, and in what or how we choose to perceive the world of make-believe.

It's almost as if...we have lost something along the way. This tune, and these pictures I watched just now, were a wonderful reminder of what it was I'd forgotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjIYTd_lJqs&feature=related

Luvz and hugz from a kid!

~otto~ said...

Beautiful. And I loved The Tao of Pooh :)

ArtSparker said...

There's an expression in German, "Das Grosse im kleinen zu finden".

Charles Gramlich said...

Yes, very fine poem. Piglet is a hero, and one many of us can identify with.

DiegoHCe said...

Sublime...

ArtSparker said...

The Pooh Perplex is a very funny book if you can locate it, not sure if it is still in print.

Val said...

Sweet Mariana, that is such a lovely poem and when I finished reading it, I'm certain the sun poked through the clouds and fog on this lost island. :) HUGS

Mariana Soffer said...

Paul: I liked a lot the fact that you thought that the pooh books were sacred texts, I had that kind of feeling also but could not put it into words.

Mariana Soffer said...

Elisabeth:
I agree with you, I also relate that sentence to what happens with ego issues.

Mariana Soffer said...

ines:
You can order the books from hoff at amazon, they are really cheap indeed, I strongly recomend it.

Mariana Soffer said...

Well let me give you an example I have in mind, it is about a kind of donkey called Eeyeore, this paragraph kind of describes him:
There is something in each of us that wants us to be Unhappy. It creates in our imagination problems that don’t yet exist quite often causing them to come true. It exaggerates problems that are already there. It reinforces low self-esteem and respect for others. It destroys pride in workmanships, order and cleanliness. It turn meetings into confrontations opportunities into danger, stepping stones into stumble Blocks. His grimaces and frowns, which pull the muscles of the face forward and drawn, speed the aging process. It contaminates the mind behind the face and spreads it outward like a disease.

Mariana Soffer said...

lydia:
Really happy you liked it. I am moved by the fact that you had the book already.

Mariana Soffer said...

jinsky: It is great how the different personalities are characterized in these books, they can perfectly reflect people in real life, although I think each one of us is a mix with different proportions of each one in it.
I did agree with paul too, I told him it was great what he said.

Mariana Soffer said...

Paul Andrew Russell:
Exactely! And usually waters run deep when they don't look so profound on the surface indeed.

Mariana Soffer said...

Uncle Tree:
My dear uncle you managed to appreciate the message so clearly and expressed it in even clearer and beautiful words. Thanks for it.
On top of that I must say you are the sweetest, I loved the video you sent.
All my love and hugs

Mariana Soffer said...

otto:
Thank you very much for stepping by. The tao and the te are both amazing books.

Mariana Soffer said...

artSparker:
Sorry but I can not find what that expression means, I will keep looking dough, anyway thank you very much for sharing.

Mariana Soffer said...

Charles Gramlich:
Glad you liked it. I wish I could identify with piglet even more, cause when I am not at my best I feel I lack some of the braveness he has in himself, I feel like my braveness is more similar to the illusory one from the tiger. Anyway most of the times I do identify with piglet, the tiger think is not very frequent lately, thank god.

Mariana Soffer said...

Diego:
Gracias dieguito, siempre tan buena onda.

Mariana Soffer said...

artSparker:
I searched the book and found it (it is cataloged in amazon), it seems really nice and interesting, I will probably buy it as soon as I get a chance that somebody brings it to me from the states. Besides I checked the author of the book and he seems to be a really interesting writer.

darkfoam said...

this is how i would translate artsparker's german quote ..

to find the big in the little

i've read the a.a. milne's pooh books. i have not read the tao of pooh though. it would appear that i should ..

Mariana Soffer said...

Val:
So nice to read your words here, makes me happy to be in touch with you.
I am certain that it poked too, cause you really connect with things.

Mariana Soffer said...

foam:
Thank you very much for the translation, you are really kind for taking the time of doing it.
I am a lover of pooh as you seem to be too, therefore I strongly recommend you to read those great books, both the tao of pooh and the te of piglet as well.

Anonymous said...

debo confesar que el poema me emociono demasiado. no me gusta pooh, pero sí los pigs...

sera mi labilidad de estos dias, pero has acertado en la descripcion.

sin saber, algunas palabras otorgan fuerza.

saludos

p.s, puedo usarlo, citando, obviamente?

Mariana Soffer said...

Cerdotopia:
Los chanchitos son lo maximo acuerdo con eso.
Me alegra que halla acerado en la descripcion, y tambien de que algunas de estas palabras otorguen fuerzas, te cuento que es en parte la intencion para con ellas.

Use nomas, un gusto compartir.

JanetK said...

The first piece of verse that I learnt - when I was 5 and before I started school - was from a book I got for Christmas in 1944. Called Now We Are Six. Appropriate because I had just turned 5 before Christmas and would be 6 before the next Christmas.
When I was one, I had just begun.
When I was two, I was nearly new.
When I was three, I was hardly me.
When I was four, I was not much more.
When I was five, I was just alive.
But now I am six, I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.
That idea has often been with me. The present is the best time. Thank you A.A. Milne.

the walking man said...

There is much benefit to being small of stature and great of heart. It is in its own way being a key that opens doors for them taller but smaller.

Heffalump said...

I thought I was a Heffalump, or maybe (shudder) a Woozle, but when I took the test I was Piglet!

Woohoo! Boing, boing!

Oh, now I sound like Tigger - sigh... most times Hum just like Eeyore... and sometimes I stink so mooch about thinks I even think Uhm being a bit of a Pooh. But now I'm being foul, so I must beast the Owl.

human being said...

achieving greatness through being small... even this fabulous post by you is another example... you present a great message through a subject matter that might be considered trivial... a cartoon character...


love this attiude...
this is the way of crows too... they find sparklies in trash!

:D

J said...

I have a point/question to raise with you Mariana, very off topic, and it may seem trivial but I am sure that you may throw some light on it.

It is this, have you noticed that engineers, physicists and those type of thinkers use the word 'the' in a very idiosyncratic way?
When talking about their ideas they say 'thee' instead of the, and with a very particular rhythm as they give voice to their orderly thoughts, and this rhythm is always the same for different scientists.

Why do they do this?
and
Is it the same in Spanish?

Mariana Soffer said...

JanetK: First let me tell you that I love to hear parts of your personal life, they are very atractive for me to read, and to see where you come from and how your brain works (at least have a grasp of it).
Besides I always learn and reflect a lot about your stories from the past, like the one that is here, which I did not know at all and you presented to me. It opened my mind and my soul.
Thanks for the lovely comment
Love

Mariana Soffer said...

the walking man:
Well said man, always using the correct words and understanding clearly what it is meant to be transmitted from the text.
Thanks!

Mariana Soffer said...

Heffalump:
I really liked your comment thanks.
Which test? one from facebook? interesting that you thought you where a H, and ended up being a P, people like us tend not to appreciate how much value we have.
As I told before we are all a mix of all these characters with different proportions from all of them at different times. I guess we need to be more confident/secure about who we are, and have a more stable view and evaluation on us.
A pleasure talking to you P. man

Mariana Soffer said...

Heffalump:
Sorry I realized where you took the test, a little late, but nevertheless got to that, interesting link the one you added to your actual talking character, thanks for that. Ex Heffalump man.

Mariana Soffer said...

human being:
Really glad you liked this post, I always respect and valorate your opinion.
Regarding what might be considered trivial, well, those things tend to lead to what is the most wise, cause they lack the weight that non-trivials carry on their backs which restrict, limits and stiffens all outcomes.

Loved your last sentence, so damn right and connected to what I meant.

Love you my friend

Mariana Soffer said...

J:
Very interesting comment, really, left me thinking a lot in order to say something coherent about that.
Let me do some brainstorming here:
1. It is quite different in spanish, I guess it is related to the differences between both languages, English nature is much more related/based in science than Spanish, which is more related to poetry and art.
2. The types of thinkiers you mention are full of protocolar guidelines.
3. The art of writting about science is an important relevant part of the works from engenieers/physics/etc..
4. Never forget about the ego and the need to be apreciated by other humans are always important drives.

Hope you find a bit interesting the points I just mentioned, although I am afraid that that is not exactelly what you wanted to get at. If so try to refrase, specially what you meant by idiosincratic way?

You keep making me refelect about relevant issues regarding what I do inteend to write/understand about

J said...

What I mean by idiosyncratic is that it is done in a way that is different from the usual, but it is perhaps not quite the right word.

A long 'thee' seems to be used by very rational people to gather up their ideas when they are explaining something, before putting it in words. On nearly any science documentary you will see somebody give an interview and professor whatever will go into technical explanation mode, and it will always go something like

'so thee... blah blah blah is multplied by theee... blah blah in a mode of blah blah but thee... blah cannot rotate freely so thee... blah blah is attached securely to thee... blah' etc.

There is often some rigidity in the expert's face and a slightly distant look in the eye as the expert navigates an internal world of the mind in order to make a point. My personal experience is that this speaking style often is found with a fascination for facts and numbers - how many insects live in a cubic metre of soil, how many atoms in the universe, if all the porn magazines ever printed were stacked on top of each other they would reach the moon and back 23 times - stuff like that.

I would bet money on there being a significant correlation between people who say 'thee' like that, and people who don't swing their arms when they walk.
As an experiment such people should be made to swing their arms in a relaxed way when they walk, and report any subseqent differences in their cognition.



I was wondering about your first point sometimes, and I think if there is a difference in the languages, as you describe, it must have it's root in the resources of the English territory - plenty of coal, iron, etc gives rise to industry which gives a more scientific vocabulary. I don't speak Spanish so I could not say from experience.

Tape said...

"When in doubt, keep in mind that "O gallant Piglet" is always a very thoughtful way of beginning a piece of poetry."
(From: Pooh's little instruction book)

Tom said...

milne was some kind of genius i guess...whereas tigger and pooh get most of the laughs, Piglet is the soul of the story...i need to go back and reread...thanks

Anonymous said...

mi acercamiento a los pigs fue por la conmovedora novela de kitty fiztgerald "pigtopia". el argumento no es complejo; pero el subtexto es brutal.

existio un grado alto de empatia con la descripcion de aquella novela. quizas por eso paso casi a diario a leer el poema.

saludos

Mariana Soffer said...

j:
I got what you say about idiosincratic, txs for the aclaration.
Very interesting description about those kind of people, I understand much better what you meant.
All I can say is that rigidness put limits and the outputs are constrained by that. Another thought is that art and passion are the ingredients needed in cases like that, along with more freedom perhaps.
Hope I added something that is relevant here for what you planteaded in your comment.
Cheers my friend

Mariana Soffer said...

Tape: Pleasure to see you arroud. Very good point you made, I ll try not to forget that for my future texts.
take lots of care.

Mariana Soffer said...

TOM: I am please you are delighted by this. And that I help bring to mind something that is worth reviewing for yourself.

Mariana Soffer said...

cerdotopia: debo confesar que nunca lei nada de esa autora, pero ahora que la mencionas me dan ganas de investigarla. Me lei unas cuantas descripciones del libro que encontre por ahi, como en http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/printed-books/pigtopia-kitty-fitzgerald/1016323/, http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/printed-books/pigtopia-kitty-fitzgerald/1016323/, amazon y un par mas, me parecio muy interesante y creo que por lo poco que te conozco puedo conectarlo un poco a ti.

Que maravilla que pases seguido a leer el poema, en parte me emociona y tambien me alaga.

Que estes muy bien

tipota said...

that was heartwarming querida, very lovely

aditya said...

A lovely piglet poem Mariana. Especially the end.

Mariana Soffer said...

tipota:
you are so kind, thank you very much for being so kind, glad you found this nice.

Mariana Soffer said...

adiyta:
nice to see you arround, read your words.
The end is fantastic, I agree.
Cheers

Maxine said...

I love that you are posting poetry!

kj said...

ah, mariana, why do i take so long to come here? it is not because you are not in my mind and heart; please be certain of that.

i have this book. i have looked forward to when mr. ryan and mr. drew are old enough to begin to understand.

small is big.

self-less is self-more.

you are very wise.

that is no surprise.

love to you, dearest friend.

ps i watched an international house hunters on television and i saw your city up close. i thought of you the whole show.

i hope you will write more poetry. at first i didn't know the verses were yours, and when i did know, piglet and i squealed together!


kj

EXSENO said...

The poem, short yet makes such a profound statement couldn't be more perfect. I love it.

And the post, I think it was waiting for me to come by and read. I needed to remember to get back to my Zen place and take my ten minutes of meditation every day.
Thanks, coming by here today was just what I needed.

Did Karma send me here. Who knows.

Mariana Soffer said...

Maxine:
Thank you very much for stepping by. I am also glad you like this postings kind.

Mariana Soffer said...

KJ:
My dear you K,I know you are always there, I do not need to see you here to be sure of that. I myself do not go much to some good friend blogs due to different reasons, sometimes is the lack of time,some others the aversion to computers, and also the discomfort of having to read from the screen and not from paper, and a few other ones.
I liked what you said about self-less, it is great and accurate as well.
Also thanks a lot for the compliment, it makes me feel really well, even dough I am not sure I deserve it. Specially because I must clarify to you that an important part of what is here is based on Mr Hoff work, I just did a small intervention on it, but is mostly his work what must be praised.

Lots of love to you my friend

Mariana Soffer said...

EXSENO:
It is very nice and sweet what you say here, thank you very much for stating it. I am glad that it was as you describe your passing trough here. You also left me thinking about Karma and what it is meant to be, it is very difficult for me to have certainties about it.
Be well my friend.

Shaista said...

Mariana, I miss you!
I was just looking for a particular Pooh and Piglet picture and it led me straight to your blog, which I haven't visited in so long.
Your poem is wonderful, and Piglet is indeed a gallant one :)

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