June 09, 2008

On the beauty of petrochemicals

I

To the mathematician a good theorem
is more beautiful than any poem
can ever hope to be: its elements
universal and eternal, unlike shifty words.

To each his ohm.

II

Oh yes they do
belong in a poem.
Let others sing dandelions
and galaxies: an art worthy
of the name (in this language,
on this day)
needs to make its peace with plastic.

III

Poor Prometheus, who learned the hard way,
said, Cunning is feebleness beside Ananke.
An old Greek word for the notion ­
or law ­ or Goddess ­ or compulsion
(depending on your source) ­ of Necessity.
Born of Chaos in the shape of a snake,
Ananke is braided with Time and
wreathed around the egg
that is the world ­
tighter even now ­
so as to extract what must be
from all that you were once given.

—Alexis Quinlan

Posted by dwaber at 01:29 PM