The Half Life Of Facts Poem by Sheena Blackhall

No-one, once, could tell the age of lobsters
Canadian scientists learned to count the rings
In their eye-stalks. Eureka, it was done!
Everyone thought the world possessed two moons
Now it has thousands, temp'rarily captured objects
RH120, the size of an average car
Martian Canals, once found by Schiaparelli
Are now disproved, mere dust balls of illusion
Tabula Rasa? Not since gene detection
Explored the background of our DNA
The planet Vulcan joined our constellation
A nineteenth century neighbour, now discounted
Which gave its name to Star Trek's Mr Spock
The earth is round, not flat, fact and statistic,
Are often quoted. Are they realistic?