"Hesitation" and "Two Somewhat Different Epigrams"

We see with our eyes and smell with our nose

But when testing the waters, we lead with our toes

Sometimes less truly is more. In the case of epigrams, very much can be said in very few lines. Epigrams are a somewhat free form of writing, a sort of mash of poetry and prose, that enables expression in a clever, witty, or satirical manner. The key characteristic of this unique writing style is a strong ending line, and the author can choose to make any impact he/she wishes with this statement. 

In the first of Langston Hughs' "Two Somewhat Different Epigraphs," Hughs chooses to use a metaphor to discuss life. By using rainbows and dust, he illustrates that the good things in life would not be good if there were not bad things to tip the other end of the scale. His point is eerily similar to Newton's Third Law in physics that speaks of forces of equal magnitude, but in opposite directions. One could not possible without the other, and more importantly, we could not appreciate nor understand one without its counterpart. 

The epigram above also speaks to a certain life lesson, but takes a much different stance. It references the saying of testing the waters along with a description of the senses to illustrate a message of hesitation. People are often scared to blindly jump into a situation, and because of this, they half-heartedly walk on egg shells, afraid that something may go wrong. Now, if people believed what Hughs laid out in his epigram, bad times being necessary for the good, this hesitation would not exist, for there would be an understanding that the bad was inevitable. This is not the case in the epigram listed above however; this epigram embodies the very fear and hesitation that people have for the unpleasantries in life. 

These epigrams represent largely conflicting ideas, and are very thought provoking. Are the bad times truly inevitable? Is it better to hesitate before jumping in? Who's view on life is more accurate? These questions have no answers, and this is the beauty of the epigram. Its short nature allows each reader to fill in the blanks, making it more relatable as well as powerful.