The Raven Poem by Ramon Amancio Estanque

Ramon Amancio Estanque

Ramon Amancio Estanque

9604 Rizal St., Townsite, Parang, Maguindanao,6300 Philippines

The Raven

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once upon a Monday evening, while in class I pondered leaving
over many a quaint and curious volume of organic chemistry -
while I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there cam a tapping,
as of someone gently rapping, rapping at the chalkboard -
'tis Professor Long, ' I muttered, 'tapping at the chalkboard -
Only this and nothing more.'

as, distinctly I remember it was in the fall semester
and each separate chiral center wrought its ghost upon the chalkboard.
eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly i had sought to borrow
from my books surcease of sorrow for there were 16 stereoisomers -
of the rare and radian compound whom the angel name
3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-1-heptene nomenclature forever more!

and the oily, sad, uncertain rustling of each enol ketone
thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
so that now, to still the beating of my heart I stood repeating
'tis a ketone if amidst two carbon atoms carbonyl is drawn upon the chalkboard -
tis an aldehyde if hydrogen and carbon are connected to a carbonyl
this it is and nothing more.'

presently convinced and stronger; hesitating then no longer,
'sir' said I 'uh, Dr. Long, truly a good grade do I implore;
but the fact is I was napping, and so gently you were rapping,
and so faintly you were tapping, rapping at the chalkboard,
I convinced myself I heard you' - here I opened wide my mind -
darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that test problem peering, long I sat there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming tautomers only Dr. Long ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there was spoken was the whispered word Enol
This I whispered and an echo murmured back the word Ketone
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into my test I was glaring, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
Surely, thought I, surely that is the answer he is writing on the board.
Let me see, is rearrangement in this carbocation ignored?
Let my heart be still a moment and this reaction yet to be explored
Tis bromination and nothing more.

Open here! Flung the test, when with many a flirt and flutter,
My eyes saw the roadmap, question number ten
Shattered were my lofty dreams of passing.
Oh, the sweet summer days filled with laughing,
I didn't know about oxymercuration then

But the professor, standing lonely at his desk up front, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour
STERICS
Nothing farther then he uttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered 'in one ear and out the other
All the R's and S's jumbled together
Thanks to previous lecture nappings
Bound to happen nevermore

'Professor, ' said I, 'thing of evil! These resonance structures you've taught us clearly
by the periodic tables hung above us, and the God we both adore;
help us Monday nights forever more
Desolate yet all undaunted, in this chair I sink enchanted,
By his expectations haunted, yet his knowledge I implore
Of the rare and radiant compound whom the angels call 3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-1-heptene.
Giving up? Oh, nevermore.

And professor, never flitting, still is standing, still is standing
At his desk up front, demanding we convince ourselves, of course.
Horribly wrong with horizontal H's, surely all have know for ages
This is how organic chemistry sterically resonates with galore.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Sidi Mahtrow 19 November 2005

If the compounds do abide By the information he did provide Then why did he not implore That you understand a bit more, For with all the possibilities you enlist There is an end to your state of bliss Consider once and forever know Only structures Steric Hinderance does bestow.

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Ramon Amancio Estanque

Ramon Amancio Estanque

9604 Rizal St., Townsite, Parang, Maguindanao,6300 Philippines
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