The Masters’ Works

The Masters’ Works
When I look on the masters’ works,
I see what they’ve done, those crafty jerks.
Then I turn back to my bits and bobs
And plan how I can displace the slobs.
27 April 2019
Based on an epigram by Goethe, which goes something like this (my translation):
Humility

When I look on the works of the masters,
I see what they have done.
When I consider my odds and ends,
I see what I should have done.
It can be read, following its title, as an expression of humility—not convincing from someone like Goethe. To me, it is about the point of view of an author: You are inescapably aware of the faults in your own handiwork, as a side effect of having carved the details yourself.