Sheer Coincidence Poem by Kesav Venkat Easwaran

When I was a student of Engineering
learning the basics
I always used to wonder
what 'Shear Force' could be

An unbalanced vertical uncertainty
at any support
that threatens to shear up
and cut down, inducing a fall

I used to search for it in ceilings
and even in fully rich
ripened coconut trees-
a Damocles Sword-
it sounded to me more or less
that way, those days

The sword is always there
omnipresent,
ready to fall
but, never it will strike
as long as the 'Reactions'
bearing it remains powerful-
once the reactions get weak
and give away
the shear force slices up
and cuts down

We won't know
There won't be any need to know it
by that time

Thoughts-
Sheer coincidence only