<p>Bewildering hodgepodge of equations<br />Concocted in a hurry<br />Speckled with pesky formulae<br />I’m in an awful quandary!<br />Bewitching blue of Copper sulphate<br />Wizard’s own heady brew<br />That Chemistry [ugh] could produce such marvels<br />Was too good to be true!<br />But when I tried to conjure up<br />That shade of awesome azure<br />I broke a test tube, burnt my fingers<br />And wiped an acidic tear <br />Organic chemistry<br />I’m confused – how could it be otherwise<br />With so many H’s and C’s?<br />There’s nothing to do but weep and cry<br />And write bad poetry!<br />All the sulphates and nitrates<br />A most insipid melange<br />Play havoc with my muddled brain <br />Aqueous or fused <br />Who really cares? I for one<br />Am utterly and bitterly bemused<br />I hope I’ll be able to remember<br />The difference between<br />Iron II and Iron III<br />For it’s the day of my Chem exam<br />And I’m rather jittery<br />So in honour of this miserable occasion<br />I’ve composed<br />An ode to Chemistry.<br /><br />The Traveller <br /><br />I don’t know where I’m heading<br />Uncertainty clogs my mind<br />Haven’t looked up The Lonely Planet<br />Didn’t plan beforehand<br />I’m tired and rather ravenous<br />Giant vultures overhead<br />Maybe I’m exaggerating<br />But I can swear they look well-fed!<br />Flopping down to rest<br />I almost drown in the scorching sand<br />Drained of hope and bathed in dust<br />I look on dazedly as Colour creeps across<br />The cosmic canvas <br />The heavens are fiery with brilliance<br />Eccentric artist’s palette<br />Her cheeks are blushing furiously<br />In hues of gold, mauve and scarlet<br />Stick my fingers out<br />Try to touch her flushing radiance<br />The heavens beckon, the skies ablaze<br />It’s a picture postcard moment<br />Silhouetted against orange glory<br />The sun’s snoozing in the firmament<br />No longer in a quandary<br />Purpose illumines my eyes<br />I sling my bagpack over the shoulder<br />Can’t hear the vulture’s cries<br />Drawn towards that ethereal smoulder<br />Onwards will I go Happy, and blissfully content<br />I walk with the sky guiding my steps<br />For if someone asks me where I’m heading<br />I’ll say, ‘Towards the sunset!’<br /><br /><em>Malvika Parthasarathy</em></p>
<p>Bewildering hodgepodge of equations<br />Concocted in a hurry<br />Speckled with pesky formulae<br />I’m in an awful quandary!<br />Bewitching blue of Copper sulphate<br />Wizard’s own heady brew<br />That Chemistry [ugh] could produce such marvels<br />Was too good to be true!<br />But when I tried to conjure up<br />That shade of awesome azure<br />I broke a test tube, burnt my fingers<br />And wiped an acidic tear <br />Organic chemistry<br />I’m confused – how could it be otherwise<br />With so many H’s and C’s?<br />There’s nothing to do but weep and cry<br />And write bad poetry!<br />All the sulphates and nitrates<br />A most insipid melange<br />Play havoc with my muddled brain <br />Aqueous or fused <br />Who really cares? I for one<br />Am utterly and bitterly bemused<br />I hope I’ll be able to remember<br />The difference between<br />Iron II and Iron III<br />For it’s the day of my Chem exam<br />And I’m rather jittery<br />So in honour of this miserable occasion<br />I’ve composed<br />An ode to Chemistry.<br /><br />The Traveller <br /><br />I don’t know where I’m heading<br />Uncertainty clogs my mind<br />Haven’t looked up The Lonely Planet<br />Didn’t plan beforehand<br />I’m tired and rather ravenous<br />Giant vultures overhead<br />Maybe I’m exaggerating<br />But I can swear they look well-fed!<br />Flopping down to rest<br />I almost drown in the scorching sand<br />Drained of hope and bathed in dust<br />I look on dazedly as Colour creeps across<br />The cosmic canvas <br />The heavens are fiery with brilliance<br />Eccentric artist’s palette<br />Her cheeks are blushing furiously<br />In hues of gold, mauve and scarlet<br />Stick my fingers out<br />Try to touch her flushing radiance<br />The heavens beckon, the skies ablaze<br />It’s a picture postcard moment<br />Silhouetted against orange glory<br />The sun’s snoozing in the firmament<br />No longer in a quandary<br />Purpose illumines my eyes<br />I sling my bagpack over the shoulder<br />Can’t hear the vulture’s cries<br />Drawn towards that ethereal smoulder<br />Onwards will I go Happy, and blissfully content<br />I walk with the sky guiding my steps<br />For if someone asks me where I’m heading<br />I’ll say, ‘Towards the sunset!’<br /><br /><em>Malvika Parthasarathy</em></p>
