The Believer

                                           Philip Straub

THE BELIEVER

Of course I believe in magic! Why, it's everywhere I look!

I see it in a stranger's smile, I read it in a book,

I hear it in lovely music, I breathe it in the air.

I live surrounded by magic because it's everywhere.

Being alive is magic, the linking of DNA;

Being dead is magic, when, in smoke, we drift away.

The fact that life exists at all is the greatest magic existing;

The fact that humans ever evolved and that they're still persisting!

But do I believe in fairies that dance in fairy rings,

And horseshoes and rabbit's feet and other silly things?

And do I believe in horoscopes or numerology,

And do I believe in a Presence watching over me?

No, no, no! I don't need them, without them I can thrive!

I'm living proof of magic. Look at me! I'm alive!

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CONTRASTS

Above, the hustle of the town,

People, traffic, up and down.

Below, the fishing bridge, so quiet,

Quite divorced from the city riot.

How fortunate we have the choices....

Raucous or elemental voices.

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PS

I saw this film yesterday and I thought it was delightful. Mind you, I think Ewan McGregor is so gorgeous that I probably watched with an uncritical eye! The story was utterly impossible, but the relationships were drawn well and I shed a few tears, which I only do when the film is happy. Give me gore and violent death and I don't shed a tear, but this film was a two-tissue one because it was so sweet. And no swearing and fornicating (well, maybe a hint of the latter) in the whole film.