day 2; the fool and the master

I, like a child in awe of Monet—
though far too young
to understand 
     why—
knew enough to honor beauty
and admire the ineffable Art.
But I didn't understand the effort,
     nor the skill,
     nor the doubt;
and, like many a fool has, thought, 
"I bet I could do that."
The rub:
without the foolish thought,
I wouldn't have tried;
     and having tried, fail;
     and having failed, learn;
     and having learned, admire;
     and having admired, imitate;
     and having imitated, grow. 
Every master was once a fool,
cocky and unlearned—
a child no matter the age—
who, foolish yet inspired,
dared to try for years, saying
"I bet I could do that."