"this is sixth form poetry, not Keats or Yeats"
Beneath the pristine peaks and snow-capped mounds, Lie records of our past and future selves. A precious commodity lying dormant, Safe from prying eyes and probing minds. Locked up in overlapping, concentric circles Of mutually enticing atmospheric destruction. As we carefully peel away the surging layers, These chemical catacombs reveal their secrets. … Read more
Within the hidden pores of ancient rock, Clandestine remnants of our past lie trapped And whisper of the future they unlock. As these seductive murmurs leave us rapt, We penetrate the soil with straws of steel To drink from fresh reserves we find untapped. But first we need to break the stony seal, … Read more
Within each breathe of air we need to live, Are carried tiny particles of dust; These specks pass through our bodies’ finest sieve, And cause our lungs and hearts to tar and rust. This dirt can soil the glucose that we make, With diabetes now a risk we take; The most at threat from … Read more
Beneath the rock lies liquid gold, With pressures set and bills to fold; But prospectors should be aware, Removal must be done with care. As well as housing lush greenbacks, These biomes mask a hidden tax; For all the songbirds living there, Removal must be done with care. For as we dig with … Read more
When gliding through our old and rusty skies, You filtered out the wheezing, blackened air; A century of progress built on lies, Now captured in the feathered down you wear. The smut and ash that billowed from our hearth, Concealed the dirty secrets of our past; So, when you flew no more and fell to … Read more
The oceans are awash with our debris, As plastics from our lives flow down the drain And travel down hewn channels to the sea, Where laced with man-made poisons they remain. Through plankton they leach into the food chain, As fish consume this fouled and tainted meal; The plastics then cross over to their brain, … Read more
This week I am helping colleagues from The Cooper Group at the University of Liverpool discuss the fascinating world of molecular cages, as part of the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition. As part of the exhibition, I wrote the following three poems to celebrate the diverse science that can be achieved with molecular cages, and … Read more
We need to breathe so that we can all live, And yet our lungs are not a perfect sieve; So why is it that people still deny: Pollution in the air can make you die. Small particles suspended in the air, Are something of which we should be aware; Ozone is deadly when low … Read more
Arising from our ashen pit of toil, As forge and mill did shape this unkempt land; The blackness of the trees from coal and oil, Contrasted with the skin nature had planned. A single, fragile pearl encased in jet, Your pallor marked you out for all to see; In contrast to our progress, blood and … Read more
With climate change now set in stone I go to turn on my TV, And watch the other people moan: “It isn’t really up to me.” “I heard the US fracked for oil, And China built some factory; It’s them who rape and rot and spoil, It isn’t really up to me.” Of … Read more