Poised over the pole The needle of the compass, Dedicated to the single mechanical dictum Of the pale, blue star in the north, Wavered, fluttered, went mad— Loosed from its function, It pointed nowhere. So the mathematician smiled, The physicist was content, And only to the ignorant Did the insane little needle in its box Bring fear, And a vague emotional affinity. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THOUGHTS ON THE COMMANDMENTS by GEORGE AUGUSTUS BAKER JR. BEFORE THE BIRTH OF ONE OF HER CHILDREN by ANNE BRADSTREET AN INVITE TO ETERNITY by JOHN CLARE THE EMULATION by SARAH FYGE EGERTON ASKING FOR ROSES by ROBERT FROST A SONG OF PANAMA by ALFRED DAMON RUNYON THE INDIAN'S WELCOME TO THE PILGRIM FATHERS by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY |