Piet Hein
From Wikiquote
Piet Hein (December 16, 1905 – April 18, 1996), was a Danish mathematician, scientist, inventor, and poet. He often wrote using the pseudonym Kumbel (Old Norse for "tombstone").
[edit] Unsourced
- Man is the animal that draws lines which he himself then stumbles over. In the whole pattern of civilization there have been two tendencies, one toward straight lines and rectangular patterns and one toward circular lines. There are reasons, mechanical and psychological, for both tendencies. Things made with straight lines fit well together and save space. And we can move easily – physically or mentally – around things made with round lines. But we are in a straitjacket, having to accept one or the other, when often some intermediate form would be better.
- After all, what is art? Art is the creative process and it goes through all fields. Einstein’s theory of relativity – now that is a work of art! Einstein was more of an artist in physics than on his violin.
Art is this: art is the solution of a problem which cannot be expressed explicitly until it is solved.
- To be and not to be, that is the answer.
[edit] Grooks
"Grooks" was the name Hein devised for his short pithy poems. Piet Hein published several of his grooks in different languages. His mother tongue was Danish, but he translated his poems to English, German, Spanish and a number of other languages.
- There is
one art,
no more,
no less:
to do
all things
with art-
lessness.
- Living is
a thing you do
now or never -
which do you?
- Love is like
a pineapple,
sweet and
undefinable.
- Naive you are
if you believe
life favours those
who aren't naive.
- Somebody said
that Reason was dead.
Reason said: No,
I think not so.
- People are self-centered
to a nauseous degree.
They will keep on about themselves
while I'm explaining me.
- Problems worthy
of attack
prove their worth
by hitting back.
- Put up in a place
where it's easy to see
the cryptic admonishment
T.T.T.
When you feel how depressingly
slowly you climb,
it's well to remember that
Things Take Time. (Danish: Ting Tager Tid)
- The road to wisdom? - Well, it's plain
and simple to express:
Err
and err
and err again
but less
and less
and less.
- The way to grow grand
is not: to demand.
In life's every field
you are what you yield.
- Wisdom is
the booby prize
given when you've been
unwise.
- Freedom means
you're free to do
just whatever
pleases you;
--if, of course
that is to say,
what you please
is what you may.
- The universe may
be as great as they say.
But it wouldn't be missed
if it didn't exist.
- Whenever you're called on to make up your mind,
and you're hampered by not having any,
the best way to solve the dilemma, you'll find,
is simply by spinning a penny.
No - not so that chance shall decide the affair
while you're passively standing there moping;
but the moment the penny is up in the air,
you suddenly know what you're hoping
- Co-existence
or no existence.
- The noble art of losing face
may some day save the human race
and turn into eternal merit
what weaker minds would call disgrace.
