January 19, 2010

  • I am writing an epic.

    These are the first 21 lines:

    I tell a tale of men and war, and of a
    man

    Who saved the world but never fired a
    single gun;

    I tell of how a war of guns and planes
    was won

    By reason and by science, at least as
    much as bombs.

    His enemy is known as the epitome

    Of evil, violent hatred and of greed
    for power;

    His name forever lives in highest
    infamy:

    Heir Adolf Hitler, fuhrer of great
    Germany.

    Yet he is not known quite so well; his
    name remains

    In “tests”, in “theses” and
    “machines” that bear his sign;

    It's Alan Turing, FRS and OBE;

    A hero whose sad tragedy defines our
    time.

    For Turing after vict'ry was betrayed,
    by those

    He loved and nations he had served and
    even saved;

    How fickle England: highest honors
    turned to chains

    Because of Alan's love that dare not
    speak its name.

    Thus not by gods, scarcely by chance,
    and not by fate,

    Was great and noble hero of out time
    destroyed;

    By men,
    by human hands, was done this evil crime.

    Small
    consolation can I offer him today:

    At
    least I'll sigh, and speak his name and tell his tale.