Random Patterns

The book I am indexing now reminded me that I should read a poem by Lorca, so I did that yesterday morning. This is the poem that I read...

The Little Mute Boy

The little boy was looking for his voice.

(The king of the crickets had it.)

In a drop of water

the little boy was looking for his voice.

I do not want it for speaking with;

I will make a ring of it

so that he may wear my silence

on his little finger.

In a drop of water

the little boy was looking for his voice.

(The captive voice, far away,

put on a cricket's clothes.)

. . .

I began the day with that poem, and I continued the day....

Before long, a Google accident gave me this: A mute boy, a stolen voice.

I offer this as a fine example of a random pattern.

Why not say coincidence?

Coincidences happen whether they are witnessed or not.

Can there even be such a thing as a random pattern?

I think so. I think the mind builds them constantly. I think stories depend on random patterns--in the mind of the teller--in the mind of the witness.