On Learning to Do Better

I walk down the street.
There is a hole.
I don't see it.
I fall in.
It isn't my fault.
It takes a very long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is still a deep hole.
I pretend not to see it.
I fall in.
I pretend it's still not my fault.
It takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is still the same deep hole.
I see it.I fall in anyway.
It's a habit.
I get out quicker this time.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole.
I see it.
I walk around it.
I don't fall in.
I walk down a different street.

-- Portia Nelson

Singer/songwriter Portia Nelson is also an actress, author, painter and photographer. Among her many accomplishments, she has appeared on Broadway in numerous productions, hosted the radio program Sunday in New York,, appeared in films like The Sound of Music, Dr. Doolittle and The Trouble with Angels as well as in the TV soap opera All My Children. She also wrote the book There's a Hole in My Sidewalk, which was made into a musical featuring music, lyrics, direction and a performance by Nelson herself. Her song "Make a Rainbow" was performed at the 1993 inauguration of President Clinton.