Winter vs. Summer

Hello Universe 146

Inspired by ancient Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature, I published a couple of philosophical poems called “The Quarrel” and “Plans vs. Reality”. I spent some time today thinking about some of those concepts and felt inspired to attempt another philosophical poem along the same lines. To refresh your memory about the concept, here’s some context from my earlier posts:

Ancient Mesopotamia is the society that invented writing, and thus, these writings are the first example of humanity’s approach towards philosophy.

It was a society that loved to compete, and it manifested in their ability to debate. Their innovative style of philosophical debates personifies several non-living objects and makes them debate each other. For example -

Sheep vs. Grains.

Hoes vs. Ploughs.

So that’s the spirit of today’s poem as well. And as the title suggests, it’s a contest between Winter and Summer.

Alright, poem starts in 3… 2… 1!

---

Winter spoke with a voice so stark,
"In my cold reign, the nights are dark.
With frosty hands and a snowy veil,
I turn vibrant greens to shades so pale.

Each snowflake of mine, a unique design,
under my rule, all nature aligns.
I am a time for deep reflection,
to pause and rethink all perceptions.

Hearth fires crackle, bringing cheer,
in my darkness, warmth draws near.
I'm not just cold; I'm a time to renew,
to rest, recharge, and start anew."

Summer replied, with light and grace,
"But I bring life to every place.
My days of sun, with skies so clear,
bring joy and warmth, far and near.

When I arrive, the world comes alive,
flowers bloom, and spirits thrive.
I offer days filled with play,
and in my arms, night turns to day.

Everything flourishes under my sun,
I'm the season of fun, for everyone.
I'm not just heat; I'm creation's heart,
a time for love, growth, and art."

A VOICE ERUPTED, TIMELESS AND PROFOUND,
IT SPOKE OF THE BALANCE THAT KEEPS THE WORLD SOUND:
"WINTER AND SUMMER, YOU ARE BOTH MY DANCE,
IN YOUR DIFFERENCES, THE WORLD IS ENHANCED.

AS ERAS CHANGE AND TIME GOES BY,
TOGETHER, YOU BOTH BRING ME ALIVE!
FROM THE HEAVENS, YOU COME AND GO,
REMINDING ALL OF BALANCE AND FLOW.

SO DANCE YOUR DANCE, AND SING YOUR PART,
BUT NEVER FORGET WHO RUNS YOUR HEARTS.
THE MIGHTIEST IS THE ONE WHO GIVES YOU BIRTH,
MY BEAUTIFUL CREATION, THE PLANET EARTH."

---

That’s it! Thanks for reading edition 146 of Hello Universe! Check out Some Fun Stuff below.

---

Some Fun Stuff

This is where I share something cool to read, something cool to listen to, and something cool to watch! The underlined words are links that you can click to visit the recommended content.

1. Read When and How to Build Second Products: This is an insightful post with guidance on building products and scaling businesses by Casey Winters. He’s led product and growth for several Valley startups, and this post is full of insightful tidbits. Check it out!

2. Listen to Feel Good by Maribou State and Khruangbin: The name of the song is enough to tell you how it feels. Great track, you can never go wrong with either Maribou State or Khruangbin, and they’re both together here. Double the fun!

3. Watch Tom Scott on University Challenge: “University Challenge” is a British television quiz programme which first aired in 1962. Tom Scott is an OG Youtuber with fantastic series like “Amazing Places” and “Things You Might Not Know”. I think “University Challenge” has the best “question and clue” format with more clues being given out as the question expands. Tom and his team put on quite a show in this enjoyable episode, and I highly recommend it!

That’s it for this week, see you next Tuesday!