Grooks by Piet Hein

Since all of his Grook collections seem to be out of print, it can be very difficult for people to be exposed to Piet Hein's wonderful way with words. This page has a sampling of just some of the thousands of Grooks that this Danish poet/scientist/architect/all-round human being wrote in his lifetime. Please enjoy them. All text and illustrations are owned by Piet Hein's estate.

Update: It looks like they are back in print! The Danish publisher Borgen has released "Collected Grooks I" and "Collected Grooks II". That's something over three hundreed grooks in the two volumes. I haven't seen them in any north american stores, but you can order them from the publisher at http://www.borgen.dk/search.asp?keyword=Piet+Hein&btSearch=S%F8g. I ordered them both and was very impressed at the speedy delivery (5 days).

Update: I've been asked to limit this page to only show 5 grooks at a time. If you are looking for more, I highly encourage you to order the books!

ARS BREVIS

There is
one art,
no more,
no less:
to do
all things
with art-
lessness.



PROBLEMS

Problems worthy
  of attack
prove their worth
  by hitting back.


THE ETERNAL TWINS

Taking fun
  as simply fun
and earnestness
  in earnest
shows how thoroughly
  thou none
of the two
  discernest.


CONSOLATION GROOK

Losing one glove
is certainly painful,
but nothing 
   compared to the pain,
of losing one,
throwing away the other,
and finding 
   the first one again.



T. T. T.

Put up in a place
where it's easy to see
the cryptic admonishment
     T. T. T.

When you feel how depressingly
slowly you climb,
it's well to remember that
     Things Take Time.