Optical Illusion

                                          Brenda Bryant

OPTICAL ILLUSION

A pin-head moon in a great expanse of never-ending sky

Will later appear as a great balloon and we all wonder why.
Here the early morning moon swims in the azure air;
So small it seems we hardly notice that it's even there!
At other times an enormous globe seems to touch the earth,
Amazing us with its brilliance and its enormous girth.

The difference in its size is almost beyond believing

But the odd thing is that we ourselves are doing the deceiving.

When we see the moon with enormous space milling all around it 

It looks so very tiny it's amazing that we found it!

But see it on the horizon and we can't help comparing

With trees and buildings and other things at which we're also staring.

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Here's an explanation, the Ebbinghaus Illusion.
(I don't know about you, but I find it adds to my general confusion!)
The upper green circle is the moon hemmed in on the horozon,
The lower circle the self-same moon with just sky to keep our eyes on.
Both 'moons' are an identical size, but our eyes make the mistake.
The 'pin-head moon' and the 'great balloon' ....... both of them are fake!
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HEAVEN
(An Acrostic)

Heaven must be blue and sunny

Except the evenings, which are pink.

All is sweet, as sweet as honey,

Very charming I should think.

Even though it's heavenly

No! Don't save a place for me!

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