JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
- Make your own poem with the first few words of the first twenty entries of definition quotations of Charles Babbage used in the Oxford English Dictionary. Actually, any name will do…
I just happened to choose Uncle Chuckles while I was taking a peek to see which scientist was used most often by the OED in definition quotation–and also because he may be the least likely of the famous scientists to be associated with poetry. (I’ve written a number of posts here on “found poetry”–enter this phrase in the Google search box at right for results.)
So here it is, the bones of poetry–I think that there may be a “something” in this nothing, though our 12 -year-old instantly identified this as “meaningless–they’re just pieces of phrases”, which of course is correct. Except sometimes you find the art where the art ain’t; and sometimes, you don’t, simply because it if ain’t art it just ain’t no matter how hard you hit something with the art stick.
- On the east is adjustable
- on the score of a fall
- (the next morning at seven)
- applied sense or meaning
- the heat of an Argand lamp
- med’cine makes, and gives.
- And set me on the proofe
- nine pair of bed-screws.
- each’d on the happy Plains
- bobbin-netted to imitate brussels lace
- bittes and a brace
- Brilliant requires
- work. buhl-work
- bull’s-eyeing a sheet of blown glass
- tispasmodic, and sudorific
- calendaring is scorned and abhorred
- wheels of eccentric form
- aft, drawn round by Horses
- water through an opening
- and retired grumbling