Unpacking The Webb Telescope by Celia Berrell

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First, un-pleat some solar cells
and wag that space antenna tail
to give our telescope some power
for data-sending mail.
Open sides, like two long arms,
then stretch-out layers of silver veils
to make a heat-shield from the Sun.
Too hot, our Webb could fail.
Next, erect the smaller mirror
then a radiator,
before reflective parts hinge wide.
That giant mirror’s locked, both sides,
to make a golden-petal flower
with infra-red its viewing power,
to be an ancient star-locator.
Deepest history translator!

Inspired by animation of deployment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzGLKQ7_KZQ

A Reason to Rhyme by Monty Edwards

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A Reason to Rhyme

 

Must our poems rhyme

ALL the time?

No. Not so.

Don’t you know

Some verse is free

Like a fish in the sea?

But personally, I prefer my fish

Served on a regular dish

(With chips).

 Monty Edwards

Monty said: The poem is something of a joke at my own expense, since I find it difficult to break the rhyming habit, but sometimes the ideas in a poem refuse to yield to the constraints of rhyme. This is admitted by the final line of the poem.

Rhyming Curse by Jenny Erlanger

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Rhyming Curse

I think my problem’s getting worse.

My every thought is thought in verse.

This habit’s now become a curse.

It happens all the time.

 

Each word inside me rattles round.

It plays with pattern, rhythm, sound

and won’t come out until it’s found

a perfect one to rhyme.

 

I wish I knew the way to mend

this most excruciating trend.

Just when will this affliction end?

What happens if it grows?

 

It’s shown no signs of stopping yet.

If I go on like this I bet

my brain will very soon forget

the way to think in prose.

 

© Jenny Erlanger