Edison Poem

This is a riff on review of Edison by Morris elsewhere on this and my ProgressiveGauge site.

 At about the age of 10, Edison goes to the creek with young friend George Lockwood, who disappears in the eddies to drown. Edison observes the creek water for a long time, maybe rapt by the dying Lockwood’s breath bubbles. At last, after the long wait for Lockwood to surface, Edison finally goes home to dinner and to bed without telling anyone about the event. Meanwhile, a party searches for Lockwood – eventually they come to hear Edison’s story of his drowning.

Self-taught polymath, 

noted as a man of amazing concentration. 

He could look intently at what was there

and was able to uncover deep first principles 

as he tinkered with pieces of 

metal, carbon, vulcanite, lamp black 

and assorted materials.

More than that, 

he had a gift for 

imaginative re-application of principles 

to conjure new products, 

and improve on existing successes. 

This was all to result from 

long nights and extended work stints.

Edison’s 1st patent was for 

an electro-chemical vote recorder. 

But fast voting was not a ‘must-have.’ 

It failed in the market.

So, he resolved to focus efforts 

only on things that people wanted to use.  

For there is no technology without useful case.