Statue of Socrates‘Wisdom’ and Other Poetry by Russel Winick The Society December 26, 2022 Beauty, Humor, Poetry 24 Comments . Wisdom When young I dreamed of someday being wise, And pictured brilliant input holding sway. But via jolts of life now realize, There’s wisdom also in what you don’t say. . . No One Fully Measures Up No one lives life precisely by my standards. No one does just what I believe should be. No one performs exactly as I’m wanting. No one includes, unfortunately, me. . . Memory I only needed four things at the store, But came home to discover what I’d missed. And I forget stuff at the grocer’s too, Despite the fact I have a written list. A friend says at this age that’s how it is, So he’s decided he no longer cares. But it still drives me nuts when I must guess, Exactly why it was I came downstairs. . . Russel Winick recently started writing poetry at nearly age 65, after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 24 Responses Margaret Coats December 26, 2022 Russel, my personal statement of a theory on poetry begins with the sentence, “Poetry is wisdom.” In it I draw a distinction between “wise guys” and “lovers of wisdom.” You seem to be one of the second group, a true philosopher, not a sophist. About memory, I make a written grocery list when I need more than two items–and you are right about still not bringing home everything needed. My husband says the solution to the upstairs/downstairs problem is to live in a single-story home. But as I tried to type that in, the computer suggested a single room! Reply Russel Winick December 26, 2022 Thanks for your feedback, Margaret. Probably the closest I get to being a sophist is unsophisticated. Reply jd December 26, 2022 Enjoyed and could relate to all three, Russel. Reply Russel Winick December 26, 2022 Glad to hear that JD; thanks for letting me know. Reply Norma Pain December 26, 2022 Very relatable poetry Russel. Thank you for these three little gems. Reply Russel Winick December 26, 2022 Thanks Norma. Relatability is just a guess until you get feedback. Much appreciated! Reply Cynthia Erlandson December 26, 2022 Wise, and light-hearted and humorous at the same time! They made me smile! Reply Russel Winick December 26, 2022 That’s nice to hear, Cynthia. Your kind comments are greatly appreciated. Reply Allegra Silberstein December 26, 2022 You say so much, so delightfully with just a few words…Thank You! Reply Russel Winick December 26, 2022 You’re welcome, Allegra, and thank you for your warm words. Reply C.B. Anderson December 27, 2022 To differ with your observations, Russel, would be unwise. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Amazing feedback! Thank you Sir. Reply Paul Freeman December 27, 2022 Anything more than five items from the grocery store and I write them down. Even then… Thanks for the short gems, Russel. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks Paul. I’m glad to be in good company with this challenge. Reply Conor Kelly December 27, 2022 I first came across Russel’s poems on the Asses of Parnassus site and have been an admirer ever since. His mastery of language, metrics and concision is amazing. We may have different political views but I am in awe of his skill. I think of him as the best poet on this site. Martial would be smiling in his grave. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thank you for the compliments, Conor. I personally don’t feel I even come close to the many extraordinary poets on this site – all of whom know infinitely more about poetry than I ever will. Reply Jeff Kemper December 27, 2022 Thanks, Russel, for these very nice poems. I especially like “Wisdom.” I am faintingly trying to assimilate that principle of wisdom, but often something pops out of my mouth that I despise. It would be wonderful to be able to retract untoward utterances. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks Jeff, and yes it would, though I’d be spending an awful lot of time retracting! Reply Cheryl Corey December 27, 2022 As usual, you’re killing it. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 And as usual, you are too kind, Cheryl – but I appreciate it! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson December 27, 2022 All three poems match my thinking about each of those subjects. Certainly, there often is wisdom in silence, recognition that one has difficulty in meeting one’s own standards and retention of lists–at any age. I gave up on lists and just decide in the store what to buy. This frees my mind to buy things I previously had not considered, but it does run up my bill! Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks for the feedback, Roy. It must take a lot of confidence to ditch the list at the grocery store! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant December 27, 2022 Russel, I am a fan of your bite-size pieces of poetic wit and wisdom. You bring a smile to this insane world and I thank you for it. Reply Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks Susan. I’ll try to keep providing sound bites. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. 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Margaret Coats December 26, 2022 Russel, my personal statement of a theory on poetry begins with the sentence, “Poetry is wisdom.” In it I draw a distinction between “wise guys” and “lovers of wisdom.” You seem to be one of the second group, a true philosopher, not a sophist. About memory, I make a written grocery list when I need more than two items–and you are right about still not bringing home everything needed. My husband says the solution to the upstairs/downstairs problem is to live in a single-story home. But as I tried to type that in, the computer suggested a single room! Reply
Russel Winick December 26, 2022 Thanks for your feedback, Margaret. Probably the closest I get to being a sophist is unsophisticated. Reply
Norma Pain December 26, 2022 Very relatable poetry Russel. Thank you for these three little gems. Reply
Russel Winick December 26, 2022 Thanks Norma. Relatability is just a guess until you get feedback. Much appreciated! Reply
Cynthia Erlandson December 26, 2022 Wise, and light-hearted and humorous at the same time! They made me smile! Reply
Russel Winick December 26, 2022 That’s nice to hear, Cynthia. Your kind comments are greatly appreciated. Reply
Allegra Silberstein December 26, 2022 You say so much, so delightfully with just a few words…Thank You! Reply
Paul Freeman December 27, 2022 Anything more than five items from the grocery store and I write them down. Even then… Thanks for the short gems, Russel. Reply
Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks Paul. I’m glad to be in good company with this challenge. Reply
Conor Kelly December 27, 2022 I first came across Russel’s poems on the Asses of Parnassus site and have been an admirer ever since. His mastery of language, metrics and concision is amazing. We may have different political views but I am in awe of his skill. I think of him as the best poet on this site. Martial would be smiling in his grave. Reply
Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thank you for the compliments, Conor. I personally don’t feel I even come close to the many extraordinary poets on this site – all of whom know infinitely more about poetry than I ever will. Reply
Jeff Kemper December 27, 2022 Thanks, Russel, for these very nice poems. I especially like “Wisdom.” I am faintingly trying to assimilate that principle of wisdom, but often something pops out of my mouth that I despise. It would be wonderful to be able to retract untoward utterances. Reply
Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks Jeff, and yes it would, though I’d be spending an awful lot of time retracting! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson December 27, 2022 All three poems match my thinking about each of those subjects. Certainly, there often is wisdom in silence, recognition that one has difficulty in meeting one’s own standards and retention of lists–at any age. I gave up on lists and just decide in the store what to buy. This frees my mind to buy things I previously had not considered, but it does run up my bill! Reply
Russel Winick December 27, 2022 Thanks for the feedback, Roy. It must take a lot of confidence to ditch the list at the grocery store! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant December 27, 2022 Russel, I am a fan of your bite-size pieces of poetic wit and wisdom. You bring a smile to this insane world and I thank you for it. Reply