Parable

Some fishermen pulled a bottle from the deep. It held a piece

of paper, with these words: “Somebody save me! I’m here. The

ocean cast me on this desert island. I am standing on the shore

waiting for help. Hurry! I’m here!”

“There’s no date. I bet it’s already too late anyway. It could

have been floating for years,” the first fisherman said.

“And he doesn’t say where. It’s not even clear which ocean,”

the second fisherman said.

“It’s not too late, or too far. The island Here is everywhere,”

the third fisherman said.

They all felt awkward. No one spoke. That’s how it goes with

universal truths.

Wisława Szymborska

(from Salt 1962)