Poets and Scientists
written by: Rose Anna Higashi
Poets are pathetic compared to scientists.
It’s our ignorance that humiliates us.
All we know about mathematics is
That it’s called “maths” in England,
Which might mean that mathematics is plural.
Does that mean that physics is plural too?
What are physics anyway?
Is there a poet on earth who has a clue
What physics, especially quantum physics, is or are?
And how about algorithms?
They seem to be some sort of evil menace,
Like Grendel in Beowulf,
Sowing discord and chaos just for fun.
Poets are helpless in the face of such darkness.
And the few things we can brag about
Don’t count for anything. So what if a lot of poets
Have read every word Shakespeare ever wrote
And understood most of it?
So what if we know what synecdoche is
And can even include an example in a poem?
“Get your butt over her,” let’s face it, won’t be remembered,
And even a well-crafted sonnet never saved a life—not really.
Madame Curie did more for France than Rimbaud ever could,
And Jonas Salk changed the world, even if he probably
Didn’t know how to write a haiku.
We poets should just face the truth and surrender—
Scientists took us to the moon,
Cured diseases, invented nuclear energy and the internet,
Although there might be some unintended consequences
From those last two breakthroughs,
But still, scientists are superior to poets in every way.
All we can do is stab you through the heart
Until tears overwhelm you,
Unlock the secret door to all your longings,
And guide you through the twilight
For a glimpse of the divine.
- Poets and Scientists - June 3, 2025
- As Our Birthdays Loom - February 5, 2025
