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The Little Things (three versions)


by Bill Yarrow


THE LITTLE THINGS (one sentence version)

It's the little things that trip us 
up: a small hole in a level field, 
an innocuous root in a well-trod 
path, a disinclined sidewalk... 
yet not every stumble is a fall, 
even as by a certain age we've learned 
to outmaneuver the looming threat yet 
are still upended by tiny bagatelles 
and that's why age is a kind of irony 
for while we ponder the solutions to 
universal health care, world 
hunger, and inequalities of wealth, 
we are no longer able to safely cross 
the street or even tie our shoes. 

THE LITTLE THINGS (exclamation mark version)

It's the little things that trip us 
up! A small hole in a level field! 
An innocuous root in a well-trod 
path! A disinclined sidewalk! 
Yet not every stumble is a fall! 
Even as by a certain age we've learned 
to outmaneuver the looming threat! But 
we are still upended by tiny bagatelles! 
And that's why age is a kind of irony! 
Alone we ponder the solutions to 
universal health care, world 
hunger, and inequalities of wealth!
Yet we are no longer able to safely cross 
the street! Or even tie our shoes! 

THE LITTLE THINGS (question mark version)

It's the little things that trip us
 
up? A small hole in a level field?
An innocuous root in a well-trod 
path? A disinclined sidewalk? 
Yet not every stumble is a fall? 
Even as by a certain age we've learned 
to outmaneuver the looming threat? But 
we are still upended by tiny bagatelles? 
And that's why age is a kind of irony? 
While we ponder the solutions to 
universal health care, world 
hunger, and inequalities of wealth?
Yet we are no longer able to safely cross 
the street? Or even tie our shoes? 

 

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