Jennifer

“Are wild strawberries really wild?
Will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child?

Should you pet them, or let them run free where they roam?
Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home?

Can they be trained to not growl at the guests?
Will a litterbox work or would they make a mess?

Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows,
or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows,
or maybe a Huntberry chasing the grouse,
or maybe a Watchberry guarding the house,

and though they may curl up at your feet oh so sweetly
can you ever feel that you trust them completely?

Or should we make a pet out of something less scary,
like the Domestic Prune or the Imported Cherry,

Anyhow, you've been warned and I will not be blamed
if your Wild Strawberries cannot be tamed.”
― Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

“Ol' man Simon, planted a diamond. Grew hisself a garden the likes of none. Sprouts all growin' comin' up glowin' Fruit of jewels all shinin' in the sun. Colors of the rainbow. See the sun and the rain grow sapphires and rubies on ivory vines, Grapes of jade, just ripenin' in the shade, just ready for the squeezin' into green jade wine. Pure gold corn there, Blowin' in the warm air. Ol' crow nibblin' on the amnythyst seeds. In between the diamonds, Ol' man Simon crawls about pullin' out platinum weeds. Pink pearl berries, all you can carry, put 'em in a bushel and haul 'em into town. Up in the tree there's opal nuts and gold pears- Hurry quick, grab a stick and shake some down. Take a silver tater, emerald tomater, fresh plump coral melons. Hangin' in reach. Ol' man Simon, diggin' in his diamonds, stops and rests and dreams about one... real... peach.”
― Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em.”
― Shel Silverstein

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets