Piet Hein: pennies and indecision

Whenever you’re called on to make up your mind,
and you’re hampered by not having any,
the best way to solve the dilemma, you’ll find,
is simply by spinning a penny.

No — not so that chance shall decide the affair
while you’re passively standing there moping;
but the moment the penny is up in the air,
you suddenly know what you’re hoping.

..and the original danish:

Stejler man foran et vanskeligt valg
og vil ha det afgjort prompte,
er det et såre fornuftigt princip
at platte og krone om det.

Ikke at valget skal ske pr. hazard,
imens man selv sidder og måber,
men: lige når mønten er kastet vejrs,
så ved man, precis hvad man håber.

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