Ewan made a generous donation to one of the projects in my challenge and wrote me the following:
The concept of a sprog-illustrated nerdy poem was especially appealing… Could I please request a topic of ‘brain’ (ideally,
hippocampus, but that seemed a little potentially overdemanding)?
The sprogs and I are delighted to oblige. They have drawn some brains, while I offer a villanelle about the hippocampus — along with our thanks to Ewan for his generous donation!
Who I am is most of what I know.
Limbic seahorse, pray scorn not my plea:
Hippocampus, tell me where to go!
Alas! Disrupted by a cruel blow:
My own episodic memory.
Who I am is most of what I know.
Amnesiac I wander to and fro.
Sense of place and home abandons me.
Hippocampus, tell me where to go!
Calling up events from years ago
Labor swift for you, I took as free.
Who I am is most of what I know.
Lost despite the stars and moonlit glow,
Yet this panic from by brain will flee.
Hippocampus, tell me where to go!
No delight, nor horror, can I stow
But for your role in my memory.
Who I am is most of what I know.
Hippocampus, tell me where to go!
This is *great*! Will you send me the graphic files?
Thanks, and felicitations to the sprogs. I plan to use this on the poster I’m in the midst of making for the Neuroscience meeting :); if they want actual credits, let me know by email..