Ode to the Present

Just some little words of wisdom from one of my professors, Flemming, during a lecture:

"The best design has nothing to hide. That is the core of Danish design."

And this from a previous studio of his:

'You can't make that shape of back.'
'I must or it will hurt my back.'
'Have you thought about how it will hurt my eyes?'

Nils-Ole has also quoted a few poems in his lectures:

War is contempt for life
Peace is to create.
Use your strength:
Death shall lose!
        -Nordahl Grieg

Ode to the Present
In this
present
that's smooth
as a board,
that's fresh,
in this hour
this day
that's clean
as a new cup
--with not one
spiderweb
of the past--
we touch
the present
with fingers,
we cut it
to measure,
we direct
its bud,
it's alive,
it lives,
it holds on nothing
irredeemable from yesterday,
from the lost past,
it's our
creature,
it's growing
in this
moment, it's kicking
sand, it's eating
from our hands,
catch it,
don't let it trickle away,
don't let it get lost in dreams
or words,
grasp it,
hold onto it,
put in in order
until it obeys you,
make it road,
carillion,
machinery,
make it book,
kiss, caress,
cut its delicious
fragrance of wood
and from it
make yourself a chair,
weave its back,
try it out,
or even better
a ladder!

Yes, a ladder;
rise
on the present,
rung
by rung,
feet firmly
on the wood
of the present,
climb up,
upwards!
        -Pablo Neruda