The Power of Young People by Martin James Powell

Hello Folks, Another outstanding poem by my friend Martin Powell.....a tour de force; thank you Martin for allowing me to repost!!

 

We know how it goes when we’re in our youth; we’re strong, we belong, but we long for the truth.

The fires burn brightly as we dare to dream of the way things should be, not the way that they seem.

Aware of the issues and misuse of power, as our love is unfurled for a world that is ours.

But as we proceed through the times and ingest all the values we’re sold, what we’re told is “progress”,

Distracted with life’s many strife’s to digest, our appetite for what’s right is then put to the test.

Until we reach a stage where our rage is suppressed, our hopes and our dreams they are slowly undressed,

And it seems we’re too busy to even protest. This is why in young people we must now invest.

And reach out to those ruling the schooling majority,

Put pressure on those who have the authority to implement change and make kids a priority.

And tackle the issues concerning their learning; provide coal for the soul to keep the fires burning.

We’ve got to show up to help and assist them before they grow up and get lost in the system.

And prepare them to fight for the dreams that they chase, without losing sight of what’s right for this race.

And with efforts combined we’ll find the tools we need for schools to succeed.

Feeding minds and planting seeds to grow the kind of lives these children need.

A system redesigned with no child left behind.

For what if our tutors they changed with the times and encouraged our kids to colour outside the lines?

What if we taught them to work as a whole?

To enrol in elections? That they’re in control?

And opened their eyes up to each opportunity,

To strengthen the ties up within their community?

Would philanthropic topics affect their perceptions?

Alive with the drive for whole new directions?

With vision revision and classes of clarity?

On good wholesome living and giving to charity?

What if we were to show how their vocal ability,

Could bring about local and global stability?

And build on a future where no one stops caring -

Where passion is fashionable, not what you’re wearing.

What if they learned the true value of laughter?

That our Planet Earth it is worth looking after?

And with greener ambitions we can pioneer,

A new way in cleaner emissions that’s clear?

What if we each did what we have to do?

To enlist, to resist, to persist and pursue?

If we each raised a fist, then what would ensue?

For change is the future, and that change is you.

You are the next leaders, and misleaders.

But will you be greeders? Or world feeders?

You are the next teachers and political preachers.

But will they be great speeches inclined to combine and collaborate?

Or hate speeches designed to divide and discriminate?

Writers? Inciters? Fighters for a cause?

Whole hearted martyrs? Or starters of wars?

Evangelical saints or clerical sinners?

Noble beginners or Nobel Peace Prize winners?

Philosophic conceivers? Devout disbelievers?

On the dole? On parole? Or the highest achievers?

Binge drinking boozers or free thinking choosers?

You don’t have to grow up and become McLosers.

We are the generation to have this realisation.

With will and skill we can fulfil our social obligations; to build rapports, to open doors and lead investigations,

Into every clause of current laws of rules and legislation, so everybody has the right to insight and information.

And through our new communion of communal communication,

We’ll march streets across the nation, trust in transformation,

And get these corporations cooperating together; for a future that’s bright, whatever the weather.

Let us atone, and carve in stone the people’s new decree.

Let us make our affirmations known, so repeat after me:

I swear to take care of the air that I breathe.

I declare to fight for what I believe.

I guarantee to be the best I can be.

I vow to help others to be just as free.

I promise to never be consumed by greed.

I pledge my allegiance to all those in need.

I assure my assistance so suffering may cease.

& I give my word to speak only of peace.

So let us stand together now and start this revolution,

And work with institutions building permanent solutions,

For the sake of civilisations educational evolution.

Global Warning by Martin Powell

It's a pleasure and with deep gratitude that I post a poem by Martin Powell called Global Warning. Some of Martin's poems can be found on his blog at http://martinpowellpoetry.blogspot.com/.

Tsunamis sweeping across the deep seas
Hurricanes howling with deafening breeze
Earthquakes shaking our tectonic plates
Volcanoes erupting round Earth as it breaks

Dinosaurs died and allowed man to stand
Millions of years changed the face of the land
A new world was born and with life it did flourish
Enough natural resources to keep us all nourished

For a long time the man and the Earth were as one
We drank from its rivers, bathed in light from the sun
The soil was rich, and ideal for seeds
The planet attended to all of our needs

But Earth for its pleasures could not comprehend
The mentality of its so newly found friend
We used and consumed without fear, or care
We scarred and we butchered a beauty so rare

Poisoning oceans and chopping down trees
Relaying landscapes to build as we pleased
Taking for granted our grand evolution
Seeds that were planted replaced by pollution

Have you not wondered why its so called “mother” earth?
Throughout all of history it has given birth!
This bluish green ball gently floating through space
Has potential for life quite like no other place

It gives and it gives and has nothing to ask
To treat it with love and respect is our task
For the moment the future we cant comprehend
Is the world that we know will soon come to an end

But there is still some time to undo whats been done
Requiring our species to all act as one
With wind turbines turning and running on air
Solar panels sourcing our suns constant glare

We could cut our emissions and clean up with care
Make it our mission to heal and repair
Salvage and save for all that its worth
Secure our existence as people of Earth

© Martin James Powell 2008  

New Laboratory Members

Hey folks,

I have three new student member joining my lab this month. Two are currently pre-pharmacy students here at ULM, Eric Welch and Aaron McCall, and the third is Matthew Kiok, a junior from the Louisiana School for Math, Science and Arts. Welcome Aboard!!

-Dr. Carr

The Rise Of Organic Chemistry

Molecule of the Month - Vanillin

Vanillin, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, is a primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean and is used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. In 1858, Nicolas-Theodore Gobley first isolated vanillin as a relatively pure substance and in 1874, the German scientists Ferdinand Tiemann and Wilhelm Haarmann deduced its chemical structure. The aforementioned scientists also synthesized vanillin from coniferin which was shortly followed by other semi-synthetic methods. Today, most vanillin is produced from the petrochemical raw material guaiacol. Several routes exist for synthesizing vanillin from guaiacol. At present, the most significant of these is the two-step process practiced in which guaiacol reacts with glyoxylic acid by electrophilic aromatic substitution. The resulting vanilmandelic acid is then converted to vanillin by oxidative decarboxylation. In October 2007, Mayu Yamamoto of the International Medical Center of Japan won an Ig Nobel prize for developing a way to extract vanillin from cow dung.

New Website

The website is up and running!!

Cheers,