Explain why fluorine and chlorine
are in the same group of the periodic table.
He blunders. There’s a question
on polymers soon
so he knows he’s *******
An afternoon in June
spent regurgitating answers
rehearsed a hundred times
in overcast classrooms.
He knows there’s a matter
of days before his mates
will go their separate ways.
Names he’s spoken for years
will decay over time,
cemented over by people
he hasn’t yet met.
Two, seven, two, eight, seven.
Seven electrons in their outer shell.
He’s surprised he knows,
the answer chiming
in his head like a peal of bells.
Oct 13, 2016
Oct 13, 2016 at 2:29 PM UTC
Explain why fluorine and chlorine
are in the same group of the periodic table.
He blunders. There’s a question
on polymers soon
so he knows he’s *******
An afternoon in June
spent regurgitating answers
rehearsed a hundred times
in overcast classrooms.
He knows there’s a matter
of days before his mates
will go their separate ways.
Names he’s spoken for years
will decay over time,
cemented over by people
he hasn’t yet met.
Two, seven, two, eight, seven.
Seven electrons in their outer shell.
He’s surprised he knows,
the answer chiming
in his head like a peal of bells.
Written: October 2016.
Explanation: To mark National Poetry Day on 6th October, I wrote 25 poems over the course of eight days, and sent one poem each to one of 25 of my Facebook friends. After some deliberation, I am now posting the poems on HP (in order of when they were written), albeit not all in one go. 'Firework' is poem one, for those of you who wish to read the series in full, in order. None of the poems are about their recipients. Note: GCSEs are exams that students take at the age of 16 in England towards the end of their secondary education. All feedback welcome. A link to my Facebook writing page can be found on my HP home page.
NOTE: Many of my older pieces will be removed from HP at some point in the future.
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