Wednesday 18 February 2009

On being non-scientifically minded.............


...........that's me - I don't have a scientific bone in my body LOL. I get a mental block on all things scientific, chemistry, physics, that sort of thing. If something works, fine, if it doesn't , then fix it or get someone to fix it. I don;t need to know how it works, just that it does. Now, I'm not a stupid woman, but there is no part of my brain that is able to absorb and comprehend anything at all like this. Makes for a hard life being married to an engineer, but I think he's given up for now...........LOL


MrL and EJ were watching a programme on nuclear fusion alst night - a Horizon programme, so not undualy technical or complicated, science for the masses. I felt the whooshing sound and the little draft it all amde as it went completely over my head LOL So, I cast on a new pair of socks! It did remind me of a poem from a few years back:



HORSEPOWER


I know a little about baking,

I know a little about flour,

I know more about the universe

With every passing hour.

I know a lot about my garden,

Of how things thrive and grow,

But of matters such as horse power,

There’s a lot I do not know.

I’ve looked it up and searched the web,

The books and papers too.

They talk of watts and unit rates

And words I never knew.

It’s got to do with doing work,

Of that I have no doubt

Of pounds per second, foot pounds too,

I’ll never work it out.

I’m not of scientific bent

I’d be the first to claim.

Watts and rates and miles per hour –

Aren’t they all the same?

I don’t know why my jam sets

Or how my hens lay eggs,

Or what the difference really is

Between horseflies, bugs and clegs.

The light comes on, the iron irons,

The cooker cooks our meal

As long as they all work for me,

It’s really no big deal.

The seasons change, the sun comes out

The wind will blow and blow,

But how these things have come about

I’ll really never know.

An engine is a puzzle,

The workings of the world,

To me the mysteries of men

Will never be unfurled.

A pencil writes, a window shuts,

A needle has an eye,

The bath taps empty nice and hot,

I don’t need to know why.

I’m happy in my little world

it’s safe, secure and fun

I don’t drown myself in detail,

I just let life run and run.

And as for this here horsepower,

It seems to pass me by.

I know it’s there, that it exists

Without me knowing why.


3 comments:

Eileen said...

I love the poem -the car runs, what else is there to know...but I can mystify others by planning a garden that has colour and substance 12 months of the year-in our climate, I can paint a bird that looks real....we all have our special talents and we should all be happy with them...it is what makes the world so interesting!

thesnailgarden said...

Your poem made me laugh - it reminded me of the time my Dad tried to teach me (not for the first time) how a car engine works. I said to him "It doesn't matter how many times you tell me, it won't sink in because it doesn't interest me!" He laughed and gave up. I know how to change the wheels, check the oil etc, but the workings of the engine was a step too far ;) Pj x

Jayne said...

I love the poem - it sounds a bit like me (and I'm a scientist's assistant!!)

Love Jayne xxx