I am a messenger

And the message that I bring

is…

Sulphur

I’m what gets witches

a bad name

Funny smells

Gobbledy spells

Given to theatrics

I go in for special effects:

Brimstone and treacle

Hellfire. Eureka!

Gold! The Elixir of Life! Immortality!

Chinese alchemists were obsessed

Emperors were impressed

But in Beijing

I couldn’t stop them

– ageing

And so they died

(But not in vain)

For a potion more mundane

was chanced upon

The Chinese called it:

‘Fire Drug’

Mobsters

got where they got with it…

Children

play a lot with it…

Cities

glow white hot with it…

Guy Fawkes

hatched a plot with it…

Gunpowder.

Gold

I’m not a colour

Let’s get that one straight

right from the start

Sunsets Daffodils Eagles

All take my name in vain

For vanity it is

Let me explain:

I’m the heart of things The core

The Emperor of metals

Hence, or

Without me, commerce

would grind to a halt.

No money No trade

Civilization (as you wish to know it)

simply fade

Of course, I can bring out the worse

I admit

That people kill for me

That rivers of blood

have been shed in my name

But that’s you Not me.

I’m not to blame

I glister

Am all show All style

My aim is simple

To make you smile

Come closer:

If you had gold

and were offered something else

Would you swap?

No

You see, I’ve every right to crow

Le Coq d’or

… The one on top

Fool’s Gold

I’m not real gold

A sham

Pyrite is what I am

But I’m gold to the touch

And look like gold as well

So who can tell?

Except the scientist

(this alchemist who casts a spell

exposing me)

But I don’t care

I had a good run for my money

Besides

All gold is fool’s gold

For what is it after all?

Bright yellow dung?

The sun’s tears?

Satan’s urine?

Gold

All who love you are fools.

Element 109

A mayfly blinks

I have lived and died

a thousand times

Mine is a short life

but an exciting one

I am man-made

and owe my existence

to science

I have no name

merely a number:

109. It suits me

I could go on

for hours and hours

about my various properties

But I won’t

Now you see me

Now you…