Science and art inspire each other to create new forms of expression. Here, at Science (in)Verse, we bring an unusual outcome of this encounter: science-inspired poetry. If you are feeling poetic, we welcome contributions!
In this month’s edition of Science (in)Verse, Ben Zarov highlights how much mice and humans have in common. With a few small changes, a mice variant emerges from something that appears uniquely human.
The original:
“
The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there,
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should have come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in the wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
”
The mouse variant:
“
The Poke Not Chosen
By Ratbert Frost
Two tones diverged in a white box,
And sorry I could not choose both
And be one rat, long I stood
And looked toward one as much I could
To where the poke stayed shadowed;
Then took the left, as just a doubt
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it probably had water, my aim;
Though as for that the chosen spout,
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In acrylic where many licks had whisked.
Oh, I kept left for another day!
Yet knowing barely what tone had played,
I doubted if it was right to lick.
I shall be squeaking with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two tones diverged in a box, and I-
I choose the one less likely dry,
And that has made all the difference.
”
Ben Zarov is thrilled to be a research technician in the Paton Learning Lab; in his spare time, he likes to read, wander Lisbon, and write poems.
Image credit: Ben Zarov
Loading Likes...
You must be logged in to post a comment.