Lisburn.com

 

Exiles Forum

Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

The science of poetry wins a top prize for Victoria

Victoria Coome was presented with her certificate and prize, an iPod Nano, by Keri Spence of the University of Ulster and Friends Principal, Mrs Elizabeth Dickson

Victoria Coome was presented with her certificate and prize, an iPod Nano, by Keri Spence of the University of Ulster and Friends Principal, Mrs Elizabeth Dickson

A FRIENDS School pupil was the overall winner of the Science Poem Competition held by the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster.

Victoria Coome from Year 10 whose entry was one of almost 300 submitted used poetry to question the place of science in society.

Her poem was entitled 'Where would we be without science?'

Where would we be without science?
Still living huddled in dark, damp caves
Wearing feathers in our hair like Red Indian braves,
Never venturing beyond the sea and the caves?

How different would our world be without science?
No riotous, rush-hour traffic, no tottering office towers..
No climbing career ladders, no nine to five hours?
Just hunting happily for food amongst fresh forests and flowers.

How would we travel without science?
No cars, no planes, no ships or express trains;
Forget rocket science and even bus lanes.
Travelling in packs over wide dusty plains?

What would it be like without the inventions of science?
No telephones or mobiles, no letters in the post
No cooker, fridge or freezer, no gadget to make the toast .
Without electric light we'd imagine shadows or conjure up a ghost.

How would we stay warm and clean without science?
No washing machine, no electric power shower
No bubbling jacuzzi to soak-and relax for an hour.
Just a cold river with rocks behind which we could cowers:

How would we understand without science?
If no one had split the atom, or ever gone into space,
Or discovered cures, for diseases that often wiped out a whole race.
With each new discovery scientists speed up the pace.

But!!! Why does man destroy, using science?
Guns. ranks, poison. terror. even chemical warfare,
Vars. as tribes breach boundaries, new territory to declare.
Instead of destruction. science should bring peace and fair share.

Is man destroying his planet using science?
Oil, coal, gas, forests, greedily swallowing up every resource.
Poisonous pollution, eroding acid rain, we need a new course.
When the penny drops will there be only remorse?

Is there any limit to the discoveries of science?
The more he has. the More man wants, or so he thinks,
Conquer the unknown, break new boundaries, so the earth shrinks
Maybe discover new planets. or with aliens establish new links?

Lets think! How would humans have evolved without science?
Still living in the wild, animals with a superior brain?
covered in hairy fur like apes � just a different strain?
Or were we always destined to be the top or the chain?

What responsibilities does man have with science?
Science cannot take the blame for the earth's manmade scar.
Only man has the choice how high to raise the bar.
Let's hope it's not self destruct, science has brought us so far

Ulster Star
13/07/2007