A new space poem for the third day of World Space Week, this time about our satellite navigation theme “Space: Guiding Your Way”. Thanks again Athos Athanasiou for your great inspiration!
In twenty thirty three world leaders met
to discuss which parts of science they’d accept.
They’d left it up to scientists too long,
and had a hunch that lots of it was wrong.
Now relativity was on the list
of subjects that they found too hard to grasp.
They talked it over but its point was missed
and a bill to ban the use of it was passed.
No more would it be taken into bear
when building any tools for navigation.
And any software used already there,
immediately replaced in every nation.
To warn them off this folly many tried.
But the leaders of that era thought they lied
when saying relativity would speed
the time up in each moving satellite
which meant each clock would then be out sync.
To all of this they paid but little heed.
The leaders left the hall and stepped outside,
and got into their cars with auto-ride.
Now tapping destinations via their phones,
they fell asleep whilst cars flew to their homes.
But oh, if only they had stayed awake.
If only they had realised their mistake.
If only relativity they’d kept.
The signal to each car would be correct.
But up to thirty metres it was out,
so cars they crashed in places roundabout.
And filled up instantly with safety foam
which though it saved their lives, it left them prone
to allegations of incompetence.
The people felt that now had come the time,
when it would be more gracious to resign,
and leave their role to those who had more sense.
Athos Athanasiou