Sunday, September 16, 2012

CCCLXXVIII - Cosmology

.

Mad Kane has a regular limerick challenge.
She provides the first line,
The rest is up to us.

Cosmology

A fellow was trying his hand
At a science that few understand.
While the pain of the thinking
Caused cerebral shrinking
The Universe continued to expand.
.
---
© 2012   J Cosmo Newbery
---
Print this post

26 comments:

  1. Cute. But not scientific --- straining the mind, like muscles, will slow atrophy, not cause it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, but limericks are not noted for verisimilitude. I wanted to use 'implode' but didn't.

      Delete
    2. Good man, Sabio! Hold him to the truth! Just because it is a limerick there is excuse for scientific sloppiness.

      Delete
    3. Limericks have to be true? Surely you jest? No, jesting is not scientific, I suppose. Surely you can see the opposites - expanding and shrinking - as a humorous contrast? A poetic device?

      Delete
    4. But it's wrong. Thinking doesn't shrink the brain.

      Delete
    5. Fine. Thanks. And can you confirm that the universe is expanding?

      Delete
    6. Well, not personally, no. But I have heard it reliably reported that it is expanding.

      Delete
    7. From one of Rupert's scientific journals, I venture. Theoretically, a deep and considered study of cosmology can make you feel smaller in the overall vastness of the expanding universe. Is that not shrinking, in a sense?

      Delete
    8. But it doesn't shrink your brain.

      Delete
    9. I am thinking that during the course of this conversations my brain has been remaining in a state that is neither increasing in size or diminishing as such. Is this not being the normal state of the affairs? What is being the point of this discussion? Can you be explaining me this?

      Delete
    10. Sancho: A Limerick is no place for pedantry or, indeed, scientific rigor.

      Princess: Nice to see you again. F*cked if I know.

      Delete
    11. Take the following example:

      There once was a fellow named Tim
      Whose dad never taught him to swim.
      He fell off a dock
      And sunk like a rock.
      And that was the end of him.

      Are we sure his name was Tim?
      What if his mother taught him to swim instead?
      Was there water under the dock?
      Some volcanic rocks float.
      Well, maybe it wasn't.

      Having read this conversation, my brain hasn't shrunk but it has started to throb a bit.

      Delete
    12. Cosmo you make me laugh !

      xxx

      Delete
  2. Outstanding limerick. I'm not sure if I should take scientific accuracy into account, but it was definitely a wonderful read.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I suspect that some of the 'thinking' that people indulge in will indeed shrink their brains.
    And no accuracy (scientific or otherwise) is merely an optional garnish for a limerick.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @ Cosmo & Sancho: That was a humorous exchange.
    Cosmo, I did enjoy your poem -- but even more, the exchanges it has inspired. To that end, please let me playfully pen some more limerickal responses:

    There was a limerick by Cosmo
    Which was a bit hard to follow
    For though science his subject
    His facts were left unchecked
    And his defensiveness proved a bit hollow.


    I know a limerist named Cosmo
    Who made false lines hard to swallow
    But he pretended its fair
    for limericks not to care
    If they took liberties just like Apollo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's your problem , why you don't like hierarchical comments: you should have posted this as a reply to the original thread above rather than disjointing the thing with new sub-conversation.

      But...cute attempts at limericks none-the-less. 'Cosmo' does not lend itself to other rhyming words. Not about to attempt 'Sabio' that way. :-)

      Sancho: Why have you turned on me? All the more hurtful, after asking me to cover your bail and all.

      Delete
    2. When are you going to let me live that down?

      If not Sabio, why not a Sancho limerick then?

      Delete
    3. While Sancho was waiting in jail
      For someone to cough up his bail...

      Should I continue?

      Delete
  5. Nah, when there are hierarchies, I often ignore them -- they are obnoxious.
    "Boycott Hierarchy!"

    Thank you for complimenting my limericks -- they were cute, weren't they.
    Come on -- you could use "Sabster" "Sab" or "Sab-man" or some other such name game to get the rhymes to retaliate. Hell, if you can get Sancho out of jail, we know you have resources!
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It wasn't a big bail, just embarrassing. It was all a terrible misunderstanding really. How was I to know the lady was a policewoman?

      Delete
  6. Brilliant just brilliant!

    ReplyDelete

You've come this far - thank you.
Take your time, look around,
There is lots to see.